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SEMI-ANNUAL 

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OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST 
OF  LATTER-DAY  SAINTS 

Held  in  the  Tabernacle 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 

S&pt&mbsuv  29,  30,  cmxL 
OdbJbsJc  1,  1961 

With  Report  of  Discourses 


Published  by 
The  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


The  One  Hundred  Thirty-first  Semi-annual 
Conference  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-day  Saints 


The  One  Hundred  Thirty-First  Semi- 
Annual  Conference  of  the  Church  of 

Iesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  was 
leld  in  the  Tabernacle,  Salt  Lake  City, 
Utah,  Friday,  Saturday,  and  Sunday, 
September  29,  September  30,  and  Octo- 
ber 1,  1961. 

The  general  sessions  of  the  Confer- 
ence were  held  at  10:00  a.m.  and  2:00 
p.m.,  Friday,  Saturday,  and  Sunday,  and 
the  General  Priesthood  meeting  was 
held  in  the  Tabernacle  Saturday 
evening,  September  30,  at  7:00  p.m. 

The  proceedings  of  the  general  ses- 
sions were  broadcast  and  telecast  over 
Station  KSL  and  KSL-TV  at  Salt  Lake 
City,  Utah  and  by  arrangement  through 
KSL  the  following  stations  made  avail- 
able to  their  listening  or  viewing  audi- 
ences one  or  more  of  the  six  general 
sessions: 

In  Utah:  KSVC  at  Richfield,  KSUB 
at  Cedar  City,  KVEL  at  Vernal,  KDXU 
at  St.  George,  KVNU  at  Logan,  KUTA 
at  Blanding. 

In  Arizona:  KDJI  at  Holbrook,  KPHO 
and  KPHO-TV  at  Phoenix,  KCLS  at 
Flagstaff,  KGUN-TV  at  Tucson. 

In  California:  KSRO  at  Santa  Rosa, 
KEEN  and  KNTV  at  San  Jose,  KVON 
at  Napa,  KFMB-TV  at  San  Diego, 
KOVR-TV  at  Sacramento-Stockton, 
KERO-TV  at  Bakersfield,  KTTV  at  Los 
Angeles,  KGO-TV  at  San  Francisco, 
KJEO-TV  at  Fresno,  KVIP-TV  at 
Redding. 

In  Colorado:  KREX  at  Grand  Junc- 
tion, KLZ  and  KBTV  at  Denver. 

In  Idaho:  KID  and  KID-TV  at  Idaho 
Falls,  KRXK  at  Rexburg,  KPST  at 
Preston,  KBRV  at  Soda  Springs,  KBOI- 
TV  at  Boise,  KLIX-TV  at  Twin  Falls. 

In  Minnesota:  KRSI  at  Minneapolis. 

In  Montana:  KXLF-TV  at  Butte, 
KOOK-TV  at  Billings. 

In  Nevada:  KSHO-TV  at  Las  Vegas. 

In  New  Mexico:  KRSN  at  Los  Alamos. 

In  Oregon:  KKID  at  Pendleton,  KOTI 
at  Klamath  Falls. 

In  Washington:  KOMO-TV  at  Seattle, 
KNDO-TV  at  Yakima. 

All  general  sessions  of  the  Conference 


were  broadcast  in  the  Assembly  Hall  on 
Temple  Square,  in  Barratt  Hall  (60 
North  Main  Street),  over  a  loud- 
speaking  system  and  by  television.  In 
addition,  thousands  listened  to  the 
services  on  the  Tabernacle  Grounds  by 
means  of  amplifying  equipment. 

The  proceedings  of  the  General  Priest- 
hood meeting  were  broadcast  in  the 
Assembly  Hall  and  Barratt  Hall  over 
public  address  systems,  and  by  direct 
wire  over  a  public  address  system  to 
members  of  the  Priesthood  in  other  as- 
semblies throughout  the  United  States 
and  in  Canada. 

President  David  O.  McKay  presided, 
and  conducted  the  services  at  each  of 
the  sessions  of  the  Conference,  includ- 
ing the  General  Priesthood  meeting. 

A  full  report  of  the  Tabernacle  Choir 
and  Organ  Broadcast  is  also  included 
in  this  record.  (See  pages  126  to  127.) 

Elder  Joseph  Anderson  was  Clerk  of 
the  Conference. 


General  Authorities  of  the  Church 
Present 

The  First  Presidency:  David  O.  Mc- 
Kay, \  Henry  D.  Moyle,  Hugh  B. 
Brown2. 

The  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  Apostles: 
Joseph  Fielding  Smith,  Harold  B.  Lee, 
Spencer  W.  Kimball,  Ezra  Taft  Benson, 
Mark  E.  Petersen,  Delbert  L.  Stapley, 
Marion  G.  Romney,  LeGrand  Richards, 
Richard  L.  Evans,  George  Q.  Morris, 
Howard  W.  Hunter,  Gordon  B. 
Hinckley3. 

Patriarch  to  the  Church:  Eldred  G. 
Smith. 

Assistants  to  the  Twelve  Apostles: 
Alma  Sonne,  EIRay  L.  Christiansen, 
John  Longden,  Sterling  W.  Sill,  Henry 
D.  Taylor,  William  J.  Critchlow,  Jr., 
Alvin  R.  Dyer,  Nathan  Eldon  Tanner, 
Franklin  Dewey  Richards,  Theodore 
Moyle  Burton,  Thorpe  B.  Isaacson4, 
Boyd  K.  Packer5. 

The  First  Council  of  the  Seventy: 
Levi  Edgar  Young,  Antoine  R.  Ivins, 


2 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Seymour  Dilworth  Young,  Milton  R. 
Hunter,  6,  Marion  Duff  Hanks,  7. 

Presiding  Bishopric:  John  H.  Vanden- 
berg,  Robert  L.  Simpson,  Victor  L. 
Brown.8 


General  Officers  and  Other 
Authorities  Present 

Church  Historian  and  Recorder:  Jo- 
seph Fielding  Smith,  and  assistants, 
A.  William  Lund  and  Preston  Nibley. 

Members  of  the  General  Welfare 
Committee,  Church  Welfare  Program. 

Members  of  the  Church  Board  of 
Education  and  Chancellor  Church 
Board  of  Education,  Directors  and  Asso- 
ciate Directors  of  Institutes,  and  Semin- 
ary Instructors. 

Presidents  of  Stakes  and  their  Coun- 


selors, Presidents  of  Temples,  Patriarchs, 
High  Priests,  Seventies,  Elders. 

Auxiliary  Officers,  General,  Stake  and 
Ward,  from  all  parts  of  the  Church. 

President  J.  Reuben  Clark,  Jr.  was  absent  upon 
advice  of  his  physician. 

2Elder  Hugh  B.  Brown  of  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve 
Apostles  was  sustained  as  a  Counselor  in  the  First 
Presidency. 

3Elder  Gordon  B.  Hinckley,  an  Assistant  to  the 
Twelve  Apostles,  was  sustained  as  an  Apostle  and 
a  member  of  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve,  filling  the 
vacancy  caused  by  the  appointment  of  Elder  Hugh 
B.  Brown  as  a  Counselor  in  the  First  Presidency. 

4Elder  Thorpe  B.  Isaacson  was  sustained  as  an  As- 
sistant to  the  Twelve  Apostles. 

6EIder  Boyd  K.  Packer  was  sustained  as  an  Assistant 
to  the  Twelve  Apostles. 

6Elder  Bruce  R.  McConkie  was  absent,  presiding 
over  the  Southern  Australian  Mission. 

7Elder  A.  Theodore  Tuttle  was  absent,  supervising 
missions  in  South  America. 

8Bishop  Joseph  L.  Wirthlin  and  his  Counselors, 
Thorpe  B.  Isaacson  and  Carl  W.  Buehner,  were 
relased  and  John  H.  Vandenberg  was  sustained  as 
Presiding  Bishop,  with  Robert  L.  Simpson  and 
Victor  L.  Brown  as  First  and  Second  Counselors 
respectively. 


FIRST  DAY 
MORNING  MEETING 


The  first  session  of  the  One  Hundred 
Thirty-First  Semi-Annual  Conference  of 
the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day 
Saints  convened  in  the  great  Taber- 
nacle in  Salt  Lake  City  Friday  morning, 
September  29,  at  10:00  a.m.  President 
David  O.  McKay  presided  and  con- 
ducted the  meeting. 

The  music  for  this  session  was  fur- 
nished by  the  Relief  Society  Singing 
Mothers  Chorus  from  the  Central  Utah 
and  Mt.  Timpanogos  regions.  Sister 
Florence  Jepperson  Madsen  conducted 
the  singing;  Elder  Alexander  Schreiner 
was  at  the  organ  console. 

In  opening  the  Conference  President 
McKay  made  the  following  introductory 
remarks: 


President  David  O.  McKay: 

This  is  the  opening  session  of  the 
One  Hundred  Thirty-First  Semi-Annual 
Conference  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-day  Saints.  We  are  convened 
in  the  historic  Salt  Lake  Tabernacle. 

Yesterday  and  Wednesday  this  house 
was  filled  with  the  sisters  of  the  Relief 
Society.  We  wish  to  congratulate  and 
commend  the  Relief  Society  Presidency 
and  members  of  the  General  Board  for 
the  outstanding  service  they  are  render- 
ing the  women  of  the  Church  and  the 
world,  and  for  the  excellent  program 
they  have  given  to  them  during  this 
Conference. 

We  just  telephoned  the  doctor  and  he 
reports  President  Clark  is  better  than 
he  was  yesterday  but  unable  to  attend 
this  session  of  the  Conference. 

Other  General  Authorities  of  the 
Church  who  are  absent  are  Elder  Bruce 
R.  McConkie  of  the  First  Council  of 
Seventy,  who  is  presiding  over  the  South 
Australian  Mission;  and  Elder  A.  Theo- 
dore Turtle  of  the  First  Council  of 
Seventy,  in  South  America  supervising 
the  missions  in  that  country  with  newly 
established  headquarters  at  Montevideo. 
The  other  Authorities  are  present. 

Brother  Joseph  Anderson  is  Clerk  of 
the  Conference. 

For  the  convenience  of  those  who  are 


unable  to  enter  this  historic  Tabernacle 
we  annonce  that  these  services  and  all 
general  sessions  of  the  Conference  will 
be  broadcast  in  the  Assembly  Hall  and 
Barratt  Hall  by  television.  Extensive 
coverage  of  the  General  Sessions  of  this 
Conference  by  radio  and  television,  and 
the  closed  circuit  broadcast  of  the  Priest- 
hood Meeting  Saturday  evening,  will 
make  this  Semi-Annual  General  Con- 
ference one  of  the  most  widely  dissem- 
inated in  Church  history.  The  number 
of  radio  stations  carrying  the  Conference 
proceedings  to  the  Intermountain  Area 
and  the  Pacific  Coast  will  total  22. 
A  total  of  21  television  stations  will 
broadcast  all  or  part  of  the  Conference. 
These  are  in  Utah,  Idaho,  Montana, 
California,  Arizona,  Colorado,  Nevada, 
Washington,  and  Oregon.  The  names 
of  these  stations  have  already  been  an- 
nounced to  the  television  and  radio 
audiences.  We  thank  the  owners  and 
managers  of  these  stations  for  their 
willing  and  able  cooperation  in  regard 
to  this  Conference.  I  am  sure  the  public 
unite  with  us  in  recognizing  the  great 
favor  they  are  bestowing  upon  us.  It 
is  possible,  according  to  a  survey  that 
has  been  made,  that  well  over  a  million 
people  will  hear  and  see  the  proceedings 
of  this  Conference  by  radio  and  tele- 
vision. 

Leaders  and  members  of  the  Church 
have  assembled  in  this  great  Taber- 
nacle from  far  and  near,  from  the 
islands  of  the  sea,  from  the  newly 
organized  stakes  in  Europe,  Australia, 
and  New  Zealand,  and  from  all  parts 
of  the  North  American  Continent.  To 
all,  to  the  overflow  gatherings  in  the 
Assembly  Hall  and  in  Barratt  Hall,  and 
to  the  vast  radio  and  television  audience, 
in  behalf  of  the  First  Presidency,  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve,  and  other  Gen- 
eral Authorities,  I  bid  you  a  cordial 
and  hearty  welcome. 

Any  important  messages  that  come  to 
us  for  persons  attending  the  sessions  of 
this  Conference  will  be  announced  at 
the  conclusion  of  the  meetings  over 
the  public  address  system  on  Temple 
Square. 

We  are  favored  this  morning  in  hav- 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Friday,  September  29 

ing  with  us  the  Relief  Society  Singing 
Mothers  from  Central  Utah  and  Mt. 
Timpanogos  Welfare  Regions.  They 
will  furnish  the  music  for  the  sessions 
of  the  Conference  today.  We  are  grate- 
ful and  happy  to  have  these  mothers 
present  this  morning.  Just  their  pres- 
ence is  a  benediction  to  us  and  a  bless- 
ing. They  were  with  the  Relief  Society 
at  their  Conference  Wednesday  and 
Thursday. 

The  beautiful  flowers,  the  antheriums, 
the  brightly  colored  Hawaiian  flowers 
which  you  see  arranged  on  the  rostrum 
and  pulpit,  were  sent  by  airplane  from 
members  of  the  Oahu  Stake.  These 
flowers  express  their  love  and  affection 
to  all  of  us.  We  thank  them  and  ex- 
press appreciation  for  their  thought- 
fulness. 

We  have  cablegrams  from  presidents 
and  others.  I  think  you  would  like  to 
hear  from  them. 

First  I  should  like  to  recognize  some 
of  our  visitors,  not  officials  in  the 
Church,  but  they  show  their  interest 
and  willingness  to  cooperate  with  us 
whenever  possible.  We  have  present 
this  morning  Senator  Wallace  F.  Ben- 
nett, United  States  Senator;  David  S. 
King  is  engaged  with  an  official  from 
Washington  and  is  absent  from  this 
session  but  will  be  with  us  later;  Dr. 
Ernest  L.  Wilkinson,  president  of  the 
Brigham  Young  University;  Dr.  A.  Ray 
Olpin,  president  of  the  University  of 
Utah;  President  G.  Homer  Durham  of 
Arizona  State  University;  President 
John  L.  Clarke  of  Ricks  College — they 
have  over  1 100  registered  there  this  year; 
Dr.  William  P.  Miller,  president  of 
Weber  College;  Dr.  Wilburn  N.  Ball, 
Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction — 
we  welcome  him;  Superintendent  M. 
Lynn  Bennion  of  the  Salt  Lake  City 
Schools;  Dr.  A.  Sherman  Christenson, 
Associate  Judge  of  the  Federal  Court; 
Lamont  Toronto,  Secretary  of  State. 
There  are  others,  I  am  sure,  that  we 
have  not  mentioned — President  Daryl 
Chase  of  the  Utah  State  University,  and 
members  of  the  State  School  Board. 

Here  are  some  telegrams  you  will  be 
interested  in.  One  from  President  J. 
Vernon  Sharp  at  Lima,  Peru:  "Best 
wishes  for  a  successful  conference. 
President  Delbert  Palmer  and  family 
are  here  and  President  Tuttle  arrives  on 


First  Day 

the  thirteenth  for  division  of  the  Andes 
Mission." 

From  President  Grant  S.  Thorn  of 
the  North  British  Mission,  Manchester, 
England:  "The  missionaries  and  Saints 
of  the  North  British  Mission  send  their 
love  and  best  wishes.  We  are  greatly 
blessed  as  the  work  moves  forward  and 
we  do  appreciate  your  inspired  direction." 

From  Elder  Tuttle,  himself,  South 
American  Mission:  "The  missionaries 
and  Saints  of  South  America  send  their 
greetings  to  all  at  this  Conference  time. 
The  Lord  is  blessing  us  in  our  labours 
and  prospering  his  work.  Our  prayers 
and  faith  are  with  you  and  the  other 
General  Authorities.  We  know  you  will 
experience  a  great  Conference." 

From  Senator  Frank  E.  Moss,  from 
Berlin,  Germany:  "Greetings  and  felici- 
tations from  beleaguered  Berlin  at 
Conference  time.  President  and  Sister 
Fetzer  and  all  of  our  missionaries  are 
well  and  in  good  spirits;  work  in  Berlin 
growing;  thrilling  to  be  here.  Phyllis 
and  I  regret  absence  from  Conference. 
You  have  our  love  and  prayers." 

I  mentioned  Congressman  David  S. 
King.  He  is  with  the  nation's  space 
chief,  James  E.  Webb,  touring  Utah 
Missile  plants  Friday. 

A  cablegram  from  President  and 
Sister  A.  Gideon  Omer  of  the  Swedish 
Mission:  "We  send  greetings  from  the 
missionaries  and  the  Saints  of  the 
Swedish  Mission.  All  well." 

We  are  happy  to  welcome  our  stake 
presidencies,  bishoprics,  high  council- 
men,  and  temple  presidents  from  all 
over  the  world.  All  are  here  with  their 
wives,  and  also  General  Auxiliary 
officers. 

We  shall  begin  this  session  by  the 
Relief  Society  Singing  Mothers  from 
the  Central  Utah  and  Mt.  Timpanogos 
Welfare  Regions  singing:  "Lord,  God  of 
Our  Fathers."  Sister  Florence  Jepperson 
Madsen  is  conducting,  and  Elder  Alex- 
ander Schreiner  is  at  the  organ. 

The  invocation  will  be  offered  by 
Elder  Wilford  W.  Kirton,  Jr.,  president 
of  the  University  Stake. 

The  Singing  Mothers  Chorus  sang  as 
an  opening  number,  "Lord,  God  Of  Our 
Fathers." 

President  Wilford  W.  Kirton,  Jr., 
of  the  University  Stake  offered  the 
invocation. 


PRESIDENT  DAVID  O.  McKAY 


President  David  O.  McKay: 

The  invocation  was  offered  by  Wil- 
ford  W.  Kirton,  Jr.,  president  of  the 
University  Stake.  The  Relief  Society 
Singing  Mothers  will  now  sing:  "If  Ye 
Love  Me,  Keep  My  Commandments," 


Sister  Florence  J.  Madsen,  composer, 
and  it  will  now  be  conducted  by  Sister 
Madsen. 

Singing  by  the  Relief  Society  Singing 
Mothers,  "If  Ye  Love  Me,  Keep  My  Com- 
mandments." 


PRESIDENT  DAVID  O.  McKAY 


Clouds  hung  over  the  eastern  horizon 
this  morning.  When  I  met  my  asso- 
ciates, I  noticed  that  some  of  them  were 
carrying  their  topcoats,  but  I  am  pleased 
to  see  the  sun  shining  at  the  opening 
of  this  great  conference.  There  are 
many  in  the  world  who  see  hanging 
over  the  international  horizon  threaten- 
ing clouds  also.  There  are  storms 
ahead I 

I  am  prompted  by  the  outlook  to  take 
as  a  text  for  the  few  words  that  I  shall 
say  this  morning,  an  encouraging 
thought  from  the  Thirty-first  Psalm: 
"Be  of  good  courage,  and  he  shall 
strengthen  your  heart,  all  ye  that  hope 
in  the  Lord."  (Psalm  31:24.) 

Sixty  or  seventy  years  ago,  when 
United  States  history  was  an  essential 
course  in  elementary  public  school 
teaching,  many  a  boy  was  thrilled  by 
Patrick  Henry's  dramatic  declaration: 
"Is  life  so  dear,  or  peace  so  sweet,  as  to 
be  purchased  at  the  price  of  chains  and 
slavery?  Forbid  it,  Almighty  God!  I 
know  not  what  course  others  may  take; 
but  as  for  me,  give  me  liberty  or  give 
me  death!"  Patrick  Henry  was  then 
a  delegate  to  the  Second  Revolutionary 
Convention  held  at  Richmond,  Virginia. 
March  23,  1775. 

The  Creator,  who  gave  man  life, 
planted  in  his  heart  the  seed  of  liberty. 
Free  agency,  as  life,  is  a  gift  from  God. 
"Do  you  wish  to  be  free?  Then  above 
all  things,  love  God,  love  your  neigh- 
bor, love  one  another,  love  the  common 
weal;  then  you  will  have  true  liberty." 
(Savonarola.) 

Last  Saturday,  September  23,  1961, 
fearing  they  might  be  deprived  of  this 
inalienable  right,  two  women — "one 
fifty-seven  and  the  other  sixty-three, 
leaped  from  an  East  Berlin  apartment 
building,  fronting  on  a  West  Berlin 
street.     West  Berlin   firemen  caught 


them  in  a  safety  net  while  communist 
police  [Vopos]  looked  on  without 
shooting. 

"West  Berlin  police  reported  that  an- 
other family  in  a  border  house  was 
preparing  to  leap  into  the  firemen's  nets 
when  the  lights  in  their  apartment 
suddenly  went  out." 

The  local  press  tells  us  that  "when 
the  lights  flashed  on  again,  West  Ber- 
liners  saw  the  apartment  was  full  of 
Vopos  [policemen].  There  was  no  sign 
of  the  would-be  escapees."  (Deseret 
News-Salt  Lake  Telegram,  September 
23,  1961.) 

A  West  Berlin  official  said  the  largest 
number  of  refugees  ever  reported  in 
a  single  day  was  3,793  persons  who  fled 
to  Berlin  on  May  28,  1953.  It  is  re- 
ported that  new  arrivals  in  1961  (this 
year)  have  increased  the  number  of 
refugees  who  have  fled  East  Germany 
during  the  month  of  August  to  nearly 
20,000.  More  than  150,000  seeking  free- 
dom from  the  domination  of  com- 
munism have  crossed  the  border  so  far 
this  year— 150,000!  (See  Ibid.,  August 
12,  1961.) 

In  contrast  to  the  barbaric  state-rule 
of  the  communist,  from  which  these 
people  are  fleeing  by  the  hundreds  of 
thousands,  I  call  your  attention  this 
morning  to  the  freedom-loving  spirit  of 
America.  On  Bedloe's  Island  in  New 
York  harbor  stands  the  Statue  of 
Liberty — a  gift  of  the  French  people  to 
the  American  people.  Israel  Zangwill, 
in  The  Melting  Pot,  gives  the  words 
spoken  by  David,  the  Russian  emigrant 
Jew,  as  follows: 

"All  my  life  America  was  waiting, 
beckoning,  shining — the  place  where 
God  would  wipe  away  tears  from  off  all 
faces.  To  think  that  the  same  great 
torch  of  Liberty  which  threw  its  light 
across  all  the  seas  and  lands  into  my 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Friday,  September  29 

little  garret  in  Russia  is  shining  also 
for  all  those  other  weeping  millions  of 
Europe,  shining  wherever  men  hunger 
and  are  oppressed,  shining  over  the 
starving  villages  of  Italy,  Ireland,  over 
the  swarming,  starving  cities  of  Poland, 
and  Galicia,  over  the  ruined  farms  of 
Romania,  over  the  shambles  of  Russia. 
When  I  look  at  our  Statue  of  Liberty,  I 
just  seem  to  hear  the  voice  of  America 
crying:  'Come  unto  me,  all  ye  who  are 
weary  and  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest.' " 

In  the  September  1961,  issue  of  High- 
ways to  Happiness,  a  little  pamphlet 
many  of  you  receive,  I  was  pleased  with 
the  timely  comment  that,  and  I  quote: 

"America  is  a  land  of  but  one  people, 
gathered  from  many  nations.  Some 
came  for  love  of  money,  and  some 
came  for  love  of  freedom.  Whatever  the 
lure  that  brought  them  here,  each  gave 
his  gift.  Irish  lad  and  Scotch,  English- 
man and  Dutch,  Italian,  Greek,  and 
French,  Spaniard,  Slav,  Teuton,  Norse — 
all  have  come  bearing  gifts,  and  have 
laid  them  on  the  altar  of  America. 

"All  brought  music,  and  their  instru- 
ments for  the  making  of  music. 

"All  brought  their  poetry,  winged 
tales  of  man's  many  passions;  ballads  of 
heroes  and  tunes  of  the  sea;  lilting 
scraps  caught  from  sky  and  field,  or 
mighty  dramas  that  tell  of  primal  strug- 
gles of  the  profoundest  meaning. 

"Then,  each  brought  some  homely 
things,  some  touch  of  the  familiar 
home  field  or  forest,  kitchen  or  dress — a 
favorite  tree  or  fruit,  an  accustomed 
flower  a  style  in  cookery,  or  in  costumes 
— each  brought  some  homelike  familiar 
thing. 

"Hatred  of  old-time  neighbors,  na- 
tional prejudices  and  ambitions,  tra- 
ditional fears,  set  standards  of  living, 
graceless  intolerance,  class  rights,  and 
the  demand  of  class — these  were  barred 
at  the  gates. 

"At  the  altar  of  America,  we  have 
sworn  ourselves  to  a  simple  loyalty.  We 
have  bound  ourselves  to  sacrifice  and 
struggle,  to  plan  and  to  work  for  this 
one  land.  We  have  given  that  we 
may  gain;  we  have  surrendered  that  we 
may  have  victory!" 

There  is  a  significant  reference  in  the 
Apocalypse  to  "a  war  in  heaven."  (See 


First  Day 

Rev.  12:7.)  It  is  not  only  significant 
but  also  seemingly  contradictory,  for 
we  think  of  heaven  as  a  celestial  abode 
of  bliss,  an  impossible  condition  where 
war  and  contention  could  exist.  The 
passage  is  significant  inasmuch  as  it  sets 
forth  the  fact  there  is  freedom  of  choice 
and  of  action  in  the  spirit  world.  This 
contention  in  heaven  arose  over  the 
desire  of  Satan  ".  .  .  to  destroy  the 
agency  of  man,  which  I  the  Lord,  had 
given  him, . . ."  (Moses  4:3.) 

Freedom  of  thought,  freedom  of 
speech,  freedom  of  action  within  bound- 
aries that  do  not  infringe  upon  the 
liberty  of  others  are  man's  inherent 
right,  granted  him  by  his  Creator — 
divine  gifts  "essential  to  human  dignity 
and  human  happiness." 

"Therefore,  cheer  up  your  hearts," 
admonished  an  ancient  prophet  in  the 
Book  of  Mormon,  "and  remember  that 
ye  are  free  to  act  for  yourselves —  .  .  ." 
(2  Nephi  10:23.) 

"This  love  of  liberty  which  God  has 
planted  in  us,"  said  Abraham  Lincoln, 
"constitutes  the  bulwark  of  our  liberty 
and  independence.  It  is  not  our  frown- 
ing battlements,  our  bristling  seacoasts, 
our  army,  and  our  navy.  Our  defense 
is  in  the  spirit  which  prizes  liberty  as 
the  heritage  of  all  men,  in  all  lands, 
everywhere.  Destroy  this  spirit,  and  we 
have  planted  the  seeds  of  despotism  at 
our  very  doors." 

Brethren,  the  opposite  of  freedom  is 
bondage,  servility,  restraint — conditions 
that  inhibit  mentality,  stifle  the  spirit, 
and  crush  manhood.  To  coerce,  to 
compel,  to  bring  into  servitude  is  Satan's 
plan  for  the  human  family. 

Throughout  the  history  of  the  world 
man  has  contended  even  to  death  to 
free  himself  from  bondage  and  usurpa- 
tion, or  to  retain  the  freedom  he  already 
possessed.  This  is  particularly  true  in 
regard  to  the  right  to  worship.  At- 
tempts to  control  the  consciences  of  men 
have  always  resulted  in  conflict.  To 
decide  one's  own  relationship  to  the 
Creator  and  to  his  creations  is  the 
natural  and  inalienable  right  of  all. 

Equally  fundamental  and  important 
to  man's  happiness  and  progress  is  the 
right  of  personal  security,  the  right  of 
personal  liberty,  and  the  right  of  pri- 
vate property.    The  right  of  personal 


PRESIDENT  DAVID  O.  McKAY 


security  consists  in  the  enjoyment  of 
life,  limbs,  body,  health,  and  reputa- 
tion. Life,  being  the  immediate  gift  of 
God,  is  a  right  inherent  by  nature  in 
every  individual.  Likewise,  man  has 
a  natural  inherent  right  to  his  limbs. 
His  personal  liberty  consists  in  the  right 
of  changing  one's  situation  or  habitation 
according  to  will.  The  right  of  property 
consists  in  the  free  use,  enjoyment,  and 
disposal  of  all  acquisitions,  without  con- 
trol or  diminution  save  by  the  laws  of 
the  land.  The  right  of  private  property 
is  sacred  and  inviolable.  If  any  part  of 
these  inalienable  individual  possessions 
should  be  required  by  the  State,  they 
should  be  given  only  with  the  consent 
of  the  people. 

When  King  John  of  England,  whom 
Dickens  calls  "a  coward  and  detestable 
villain,"  deprived  his  subjects  of  their 
liberties  and  ruthlessly  burned  and  de- 
stroyed their  property,  the  people  rose 
up  against  him,  brought  him  to  Runny- 
mede,  and  compelled  him  on  Monday, 
June  15,  1215,  to  affix  his  signature  to 
the  Great  Charter  of  England  by  which, 
among  other  things,  he  pledged  him- 
self "to  maintain  the  Church  in  its 
rights,  to  imprison  no  man  without 
a  fair  trial,  and  to  sell,  delay,  or  deny 
justice  to  none." 

Five  hundred  and  fifty  years  later,  the 
American  colonies  imbued  with  the 
spirit  that  produced  the  Magna  Charta, 
declared: 

"As  the  happiness  of  the  people  is 
the  sole  end  of  government,  so  the  con- 
sent of  the  people  is  the  only  foundation 
of  it,  in  reason,  morality,  and  the 
natural  fitness  of  things.  And  therefore 
every  act  of  government,  every  exercise 
of  sovereignty  against  or  without  the 
consent  of  the  people  is  injustice,  usurpa- 
tion, and  tyranny.  It  is  a  maxim  that  in 
every  government  there  must  exist  some- 
where a  supreme,  sovereign,  absolute 
and  uncontrollable  power;  and  it  never 
was,  or  can  be  delegated  to  one  man  or 
few;  the  great  Creator  having  never 
given  to  men  a  right  to  vest  others  with 
authority  over  them  unlimited  either  in 
duration  or  degree. 

"When  kings,  ministers,  governors,  or 
legislators,  therefore,  instead  of  exercis- 
ing the  powers  intrusted  with  them 
according  to  the  principles,  forms,  and 


proportions  stated  by  the  Constitution, 
and  established  by  the  original  com- 
pact, prostitute  those  powers  to  the 
purposes  of  oppression;  to  subvert,  in- 
stead of  preserving  the  lives,  liberties, 
and  properties  of  the  people,  they  are 
no  longer  to  be  deemed  magistrates 
vested  with  a  sacred  character,  but  be- 
come public  enemies  and  ought  to  be 
resisted."  (Adams,  Works,  I,  p.  193.) 

My  brethren  and  sisters,  the  ultimate 
purpose  of  Christianity  in  the  world  is 
to  develop  an  honorable,  upright  indi- 
vidual in  an  ideal  society  known  as  the 
kingdom  of  God. 

Nearly  two  thousand  years  have 
passed,  and  the  world  is  still  a  long 
way  from  the  realization  of  either 
achievement.  Indeed,  today  Christianity 
itself,  and  its  handmaiden,  Democracy, 
are  on  trial  before  the  world  tribunal. 
Conditions  in  this  war-torn  world  seem 
to  bear  witness  that  men  are  forever 
learning,  but  never  coming  to  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth. 

Though  true  Christianity  as  expressed 
in  the  divine  law,  ".  .  .  love  the  Lord 
thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with 
all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind  .  .  . 
and  thy  neighbour  as  thyself,"  (Matt. 
22:37,  39)  has  never  yet  been  accepted 
and  practised  by  the  nations  of  the 
world,  yet  the  Spirit  of  the  Christ  has, 
like  leaven  in  the  lump,  been  influenc- 
ing society  toward  the  realization  of 
freedom,  justice,  and  better  harmony  in 
human  relations. 

In  the  world  today,  however,  the  spirit 
of  paganism  has  again  asserted  itself 
and  seems  to  be  all  but  triumphant  in 
its  effort  to  overthrow  the  few  Christian 
ideals  that  civilized  peoples  have 
absorbed. 

"If  Western  civilization  emerges  from 
existing  situations  safely,  it  will  be 
only  through  a  deeper  appreciation — and 
note  this — through  a  deeper  apprecia- 
tion of  the  social  ethics  of  Jesus  than  it 
has  yet  shown.  And  our  danger  is  in- 
creased rather  than  diminished  by  the 
fancied  security  in  which  our  masses 
live." 

Merely  an  appreciation  of  the  social 
ethics  of  Jesus,  however,  is  not  sufficient. 
Men's  hearts  must  be  changed.  Instead 
of  selfishness,  men  must  be  willing  to 
dedicate  their  ability,  their  possessions— 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


8 

Friday,  September  29 

if  necessary,  their  lives,  their  fortunes, 
and  their  sacred  honor  for  the  allevia- 
tion of  the  ills  of  mankind.  Hate  must 
be  supplanted  by  sympathy  and  for- 
bearance. 

Force  and  compulsion  will  never 
establish  the  ideal  society.  This  can 
come  only  by  a  transformation  within 
the  individual  soul — a  life  brought  into 
harmony  with  the  divine  will.  We  must 
be  "born  again." 

Though  nearly  2,000  years  have  passed 
since  Jesus  taught  the  gospel  of  brother- 
hood, it  seems  as  difficult  for  men  today 
as  in  Christ's  day  to  believe  that  peace 
and  truth  can  come  only  by  conforming 
our  lives  to  the  law  of  love.  Men  still 
find  the  greatest  difficulty  in  accepting 
this  central  core  of  Christ's  teachings. 

Manifestly,  there  has  not  been  much 
cessation  of  man's  inhumanity  to  man 
through  the  centuries.  Notwithstand- 
ing this,  I  believe  that  right  and  truth 
will  eventually  triumph. 

Today,  as  we  see  hovering  over  the 
nations  of  the  earth  the  ever-darkening 
clouds  of  nuclear  war,  we  are  prone  to 
think  that  righteousness  among  men  is 
waning.  In  our  own  beloved  country, 
"a  land  choice  above  all  other  lands," 
we  are  grieved  and  shocked  when  the 
Supreme  Court  renders  a  decision  ruling 
that  it  is  unconstitutional  for  the  Federal 
Government  of  any  State  to  require  a 
"belief  in  the  existence  of  God"  as  a 
qualification  for  public  office;  also,  we 
experience  apprehension  when  we  know 
that  enemies  to  our  republican  form  of 
government  are  becoming  more  blatant; 
when  we  see  political  demagogues  seem- 
ingly more  successful,  drunkenness  and 
immorality  flauntingly  defiant — seeing 
these  conditions  we  wonder  whether 
mankind  is  growing  better  or  worse.  In 
private  life,  disappointments,  adversity, 
sickness,  and  sorrow  make  us  discour- 
aged and  sometimes  despondent. 

Still  I  am  confident  that  truth  will 
yet  prevail,  and  in  that  confidence,  say 
again  with  the  Psalmist:  "Be  of  good 
courage,  and  he  shall  strengthen  your 
heart,  all  ye  that  hope  in  the  Lord." 
(Psalm  31:24.) 

We  may  take  courage  in  what  I  be- 
lieve is  a  fact,  that  in  the  hearts  of  more 
millions  of  honest  men  and  women  than 
ever  before  war  is  abhorrent.   War  has 


First  Day 

lost  its  false  glamour  and  boasted  glory. 
Such  an  attitude  at  least  keeps  alive  our 
hope  for  the  dawning  of  that  day  when 
men  ".  .  .  shall  beat  their  swords  into 
plowshares,  and  their  spears  into  prun- 
ing hooks:  nation  shall  not  lift  up 
sword  against  nation,  neither  shall  they 
learn  war  any  more."  (Isaiah  2:4.) 

How  utterly  foolish  men  are  to  quar- 
rel, fight,  and  cause  misery,  destruction, 
and  death  when  the  gifts  of  a  Divine 
and  Loving  Father  are  all  around  us 
for  the  asking — are  already  in  our  pos- 
session if  we  would  but  recognize  them. 
Christ's  invitation  is  still  extended  to 
all  peoples: 

"Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour 
and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest. 

"Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn 
of  me;  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in 
heart:  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your 
souls. 

"For  my  yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden 
is  light."  (Matt.  11:28-30.) 

I  am  as  sure  as  that  I  am  speaking  to 
you  that  the  peace  and  happiness  of 
mankind  lie  in  the  acceptance  of  Jesus 
Christ  as  the  Redeemer  of  the  world, 
our  Savior.  As  Peter  declared  over 
1900  years  ago,  so  I  testify  to  the  world 
today,  that  there  is  "none  other  name 
under  heaven  given  among  men, 
whereby  we  must  be  saved."  (Acts  4:12.) 

The  principles  of  the  restored  gospel 
as  revealed  to  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith, 
are  the  surest,  safest  guide  to  mortal 
man.  Christ  is  the  light  to  humanity, 
In  that  light  man  sees  his  way  clearly. 
When  it  is  rejected,  the  soul  of  man 
stumbles  in  darkness.  No  person,  no 
group,  no  nation  can  achieve  true  suc- 
cess without  following  him  who  said: 

"I  am  the  light  of  the  world:  he  that 
followeth  me  shall  not  walk  in  darkness, 
but  shall  have  the  light  of  life."  (John 
8:12.) 

It  is  a  sad  thing  when  individuals  and 
nations  extinguish  that  light — when 
Christ  and  his  gospel  are  supplanted  by 
the  law  of  the  iungle  and  the  strength 
of  the  sword.  The  chief  tragedy  in  the 
world  at  the  present  time  is  its  disbelief 
in  God's  goodness,  and  its  lack  of  faith 
in  the  teachings  and  doctrines  of  the 
gospel. 

To  all  who  believe  in  a  Living,  Per- 


ELDER  ELRAY  L.  CHRISTIANSEN 


9 


sonal  God  and  his  divine  truth,  life 
can  be  so  delightful  and  beautiful. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  is  glorious  just 
to  be  alive.  Joy,  even  ecstasy,  can  be 
experienced  in  the  consciousness  of 
existence.  There  is  supreme  satisfaction 
in  sensing  one's  individual  entity  and 
in  realizing  that  that  entity  is  part  of 
God's  great  creative  plan.  There  are 
none  so  poor,  none  so  rich,  sick,  or 
maimed  who  may  not  be  conscious  of 
this  relationship. 

I  know  that  for  not  a  few  of  us  the 
true  joy  of  living  is  overcast  by  trials, 
failures,  worries,  and  perplexities  inci- 
dent to  making  a  living  and  attempting 
to  achieve  success.  Tear-bedimmed  eyes 
are  often  blind  to  the  beauties  that  sur- 
round us.  Life  sometimes  seems  a 
parched  and  barren  desert,  when,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  there  is  comfort,  even 


happiness  within  our  grasp  if  we  could 
or  would  but  reach  for  it. 

The  Lord  has  given  us  life,  and  with 
it  free  agency;  and  eternal  life  is  his 
greatest  gift  to  man. 

To  the  Church  in  all  the  world  the 
message  of  the  First  Presidency,  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve,  and  the  other 
General  Authorities  is:  Be  true  and  loyal 
to  the  restored  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 
"Be  of  good  courage,  and  he  shall 
strengthen  your  heart,  all  ye  that  hope 
in  the  Lord."  (Psalm  31:24.) 

God  help  us  so  to  be  true,  I  pray  in 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  EIRay  L.  Christiansen,  Assistant 
to  the  Twelve,  will  now  speak  to  us. 
He  will  be  followed  by  Elder  Marion 
D.  Hanks. 


ELDER  ELRAY  L.  CHRISTIANSEN 

Assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


With  you,  my  brothers  and  sisters,  I 
have  been  deeply  moved  by  the  message 
of  President  McKay  this  morning — so 
timely,  so  fitting,  so  true!  He  is,  indeed, 
the  prophet  of  God  in  this  day.  To  this 
I  testify!  I  know  also  that  God  lives, 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  and  that  through 
the  restoration  of  the  gospel  he  has 
given  a  divine  plan  for  living  which 
will  help  all  of  us  who  adhere  to  it 
to  avoid  the  pitfalls  and  the  sorrows 
that  will  surely  come  if  we  depart 
therefrom.  If  ever  there  were  a  day  in 
the  world  when  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ  is  needed,  it  is  today!  It  is 
needed  to  give  us  fortitude  and  direction. 

The  gospel  is  more  than  something 
just  to  talk  about,  however.  It  is  a 
design  for  living,  for  successful  living, 
for  happy  living.  It  calls  for  deeds, 
action,  and  proper  conduct  on  the  part 
of  each  and  all  of  us.  Its  principles  are 
not  limited  to  the  payment  of  tithing, 
the  Word  of  Wisdom,  keeping  holy  the 
Sabbath  day — they  are  part  of  the  gos- 
pel, of  course,  and  are  very  important, 
but  the  gospel  embraces  all  truth  and 
the  application  of  all  virtues.  "We  be- 
lieve in  being  honest,  true,  chaste, 
benevolent,  virtuous,  and  in  doing  good 


to  all  men.  ...  If  there  is  anything 
virtuous,  lovely,  or  of  good  report  or 
praiseworthy,  we  seek  after  these 
things."  (Thirteenth  Article  of  Faith.) 

The  principles  enunciated  in  that 
Article  of  Faith  are  designed  to  help  us 
to  become  more  refined,  more  reliable, 
more  peaceable,  more  Christlike. 

One  of  the  virtues  mentioned  is 
benevolence,  which  is  the  disposition 
to  do  good,  to  be  kind,  to  be  charitable 
to  others.  Among  the  beautiful  princi- 
ples taught  the  multitude  by  Jesus  upon 
the  mountain  was  this:  "Therefore 
all  things  whatsoever  ye  would  that 
men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so 
to  them: . . ."  (Matt.  7:12.)  This  is  often 
referred  to  as  the  Golden  Rule.  It  is 
another  version  of  the  second  great 
commandment,  "Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbour  as  thyself."  (Mark  12:31.) 

Laws,  rules,  regulations  are  designed 
to  give  society  a  more  safe  and  a  more 
orderly  way  of  living.  But  it  is  under- 
standable that  even  though  we  have 
innumerable  laws,  both  civil  and  eccle- 
siastical, to  direct  us,  laws  cannot  be 
made  to  cover  each  specific  act  or  each 
transaction  that  we  make.  For  this 
reason  we  must  develop  a  conscience 


10 

Friday,  September  29 

attuned  to  the  will  of  the  Lord.  We 
must  develop  a  feeling  of  obligation  to 
do  what  is  right.  We  must  countenance 
no  subterfuge,  no  evasiveness.  When 
correct  laws  are  not  written  to  guide  us, 
we  must  conduct  ourselves  by  correct 
principles,  by  high  standards  of  personal 
ethics. 

To  illustrate:  An  opportunist,  know- 
ing that  he  was  protected  by  the  letter 
of  the  law,  was  led  to  exploit  and  take 
advantage  of  a  widow  who  was  not 
versed  in  the  law  and  by  clever  maneu- 
vering caused  her  to  lose  her  property 
and  her  savings  while  technically  he 
was  within  the  law.  He  was  led  to  do 
this  unjust  deed  because  he  was  not 
sensitive  to  correct  principles  or  the 
desire  to  do  good.  Rather  he  was  moti- 
vated by  a  desire  for  personal  gain  even 
at  the  expense  of  another. 

In  the  Bible  we  read:  "Thou  shalt  not 
defraud  thy  neighbour,  neither  rob 
him:  .  .  ."  (Lev.  19:13.) 

In  contrast  to  this  selfish  exploitation, 
consider  the  report  that  was  given  in 
the  Relief  Society  conference  held  earlier 
this  week.  With  the  desire  to  do 
good — 224,000  hours  were  spent  in  com- 
passionate service;  775,000  hours  spent 
by  these  sisters  in  welfare  service,  doing 
good  unto  their  neighbors. 

True  greatness  and  integrity  are 
found  together  in  men.  Great  minds 
are  motivated  by  self-sacrifice,  not  by 
self-seeking.  Strong  men  have  the  moral 
courage  to  choose  the  right  above  eco- 
nomic advantage,  even  though  it  may 
be  within  the  letter  of  the  law  for  them 
to  do  otherwise. 

".  .  .  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men 
should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to 
them."  (Matt.  7:12.) 

Now,  to  what  degree  is  this  principle 
being  applied  in  your  life  and  in  mine? 
Do  we  take  all  that  we  can  get  for  a 
commodity  or  for  a  service,  or  do  we 
accept  a  reasonable  and  fair  return? 

When  I  was  a  youth,  I  was  greatly 
impressed  by  the  honor  and  fairness  of 
a  man  in  the  community  who  offered 
for  sale  his  hay  at  a  certain  price  a  ton. 
When  others  told  him  that  because  of 
scarcity  he  could  obtain  a  higher  price 
for  the  hay,  he  replied,  "I  know,  I 
know.  But  if  I  were  buying  the  hay  I 
would  not  want  to  pay  more  than  the 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


First  Day 

price  I  have  set,  so  why  should  I  require 
my  neighbor  to  pay  more?" 

True  religion  is  the  activated  love  of 
God  and  of  neighbor.  It  is  based  on  good 
deeds,  not  good  intentions,  not  merely 
good  words. 

The  Article  of  Faith  that  I  have  re- 
ferred to  states:  "We  believe  in  being 
true,"  which  means  that  we  are  true 
to  a  trust,  we  can  be  relied  upon,  we 
are  upright  in  our  dealings. 

Some  years  ago  I  arranged  with  a  fine 
man  to  purchase  a  building  lot  in  Logan. 
It  was  a  choice  lot  in  a  choice  place,  the 
only  lot  left  in  the  area.  The  price  was 
agreed  upon,  and  I  offered  some  earnest 
money,  so-called,  to  bind  the  agreement 
until  the  deed  was  prepared,  but  the 
owner  said,  "In  my  dealings,  I  never 
require  down  payments.  You  can  pay 
me  when  the  deed  is  ready."  During 
the  time  he  was  preparing  the  papers, 
he  received  two  or  three  other  offers 
at  a  price  considerably  higher.  He  could 
have  sold  at  a  higher  price,  but  he  did 
not.  "That  is  what  we  agreed  upon," 
he  said.  His  word  was  as  good  as  his 
bond. 

Dr.  James  E.  Talmage  has  reminded 
us  in  his  writings,  "Religion  without 
morality,  professions  of  godliness  with- 
out charity,  Church  membership  without 
adequate  responsibility  as  to  honorable 
individual  conduct  in  daily  life,  are  but 
as  sounding  brass  and  tinkling  cymbals, 
noise  without  music,  the  words  [of  a 
prayer]  without  the  spirit  of  prayer." 

One  does  not  truly  love  the  Lord 
unless  he  lives  according  to  the  moral 
principles  that  he  has  given  us.  "... 
whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should 
do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them." 
(Idem.)  That  is  a  grand  principle,  so 
simple,  so  just. 

Now,  if  I  wish  to  help  make  this  a 
better  world,  I  should  begin  by  im- 
proving myself.  As  someone  said,  "Oh, 
Lord,  reform  the  world,  beginning  with 
me."  If  this  principle  were  practised  in 
our  homes — love,  respect,  unselfishness 
would  abound.  If  this  principle  were 
practised  in  our  communities — robberies, 
assaults,  and  even  many  traffic  acci- 
dents would  be  avoided.  If  this  prin- 
ciple were  practised  by  mankind 
generally,  the  dangers  threatening  us 
would  vanish;  wickedness  would  ulti- 
mately cease,  waste  of  public  funds 


ELDER  MARION  D.  HANKS 


11 


would  be  eliminated;  strikes  would  be 
unnecessary;  peace  would  prevail. 

Even  though  revolutionary  changes 
are  taking  place  all  over  the  world, 
even  in  our  own  land,  we  must  remem- 
ber that  God  has  not  changed.  Virtue, 
honesty,  trust,  a  desire  to  do  good,  a 
desire  to  be  helpful  are  still  basic  and 
indispensable  principles  of  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

In  the  first  section  of  the  Doctrine 
and  Covenants,  we  are  told  that  ".  .  . 
the  Lord  shall  come  to  recompense 
unto  every  man  according  to  his  work, 
and  measure  to  every  man  according 


to  the  measure  which  he  has  measured 
to  his  fellow  man."  (D&C  1:10.) 

"Therefore  all  things  whatsoever  ye 
would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do 
ye  even  so  to  them."  (Matt.  7:12.) 

In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  EIRay  L.  Christiansen,  Asso- 
ciate to  the  Twelve,  has  just  addressed 
us.  Brother  Marion  D.  Hanks  of  the 
First  Council  of  the  Seventy  will  be  our 
next  speaker. 


ELDER  MARION  DUFF  HANKS 

Of  the  First  Council  of  the  Seventy 


Brother  Christiansen's  quotation  makes 
me  think  of  another  attributed  to  an 
ancient,  who  said,  "Lord,  make  me 
good,  but  not  yet."  That  which  we 
would  hope  the  Lord  might  do  for  us 
we  had  best  begin  to  do  for  ourselves, 
with  prayer  and  seeking  his  blessings, 
now,  while  there  is  time. 

It  was  a  glorious  experience  this  morn- 
ing to  look  into  your  faces  and  shake 
hands  with  many  of  you  and  nod  at 
others.  I  sat  recalling  the  many  places 
where  I  have  been  blessed  to  see  you 
and  thought  that  I  have  seldom  been 
willing  to  comfort  myself  that  I  have 
contributed  greatly  to  you,  but  that  I 
have  always  come  away  thanking  the 
Lord  for  what  you  have  contributed  to 
me.  In  the  years  of  my  association  with 
you  through  the  stakes  and  missions  and 
in  the  institutions  of  the  Church,  I  have 
yet  to  be  imposed  upon  by  one  filthy 
word  or  unworthy  idea  or  evil  story.  I 
have  had  association  under  other  cir- 
cumstances, and  I  thank  God  for  the 
fellowship  of  the  members  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day 
Saints  and  for  the  fellowship  of  people 
of  good  will  outside  that  Church  who 
share  common  objectives  and  who  have 
loyalty  and  devotion  in  their  own  way 
to  their  own  faiths  and  persuasions. 

But  it  is  to  this  group  this  morning 
that  I  would  hope  to  address  a  thought 
or  two  which  seem  to  me  at  this 
moment  to  be  of  extreme  significance. 


Charles  Malik,  the  former  president  of 
the  United  Nations  General  Assembly, 
a  great  diplomat  and  man,  a  time  ago 
made  this  statement:  "We — all  of  us — 
need  a  mighty  spiritual  revival.  The 
ideal  of  a  settled,  successful,  selfish  life 
is  wholly  inadequate.  One  craves  to 
see  great  themes  sought  and  discussed, 
great  causes  espoused.  One  burns  for 
the  reintroduction  into  life  of  the  pur- 
suit of  greatness.  Everywhere  I  go  I 
find  people  sitting  on  the  edge  of  their 
seats,  waiting  to  be  shown  the  way. 

"There  are  infinite  possibilities,  both 
material  and  moral,  to  vindicate  free- 
dom against  unfreedom,  joy  of  living 
against  tyranny,  man  against  all  that  is 
subhuman  and  inhuman,  truth  against 
darkness  and  falsehood,  and  God  against 
the  devil  and  his  works.  The  time  is 
here  not  for  pessimism  and  despair,  but 
for  a  vast  advance  on  many  fronts." 

I  believe  that  these  words  are  true. 
They  reflect  the  experience  I  have 
had.  They  have  been  stated  in  his  own 
way  by  President  McKay  this  morning, 
and  I  sat  thinking  of  what  the  Lord  has 
said  to  bulwark  and  sustain  and  lay  the 
foundation  for  optimism  and  faith  in 
this  time  of  apprehension  and  uncer- 
tainty and  discontent  and  fear. 

There  was  a  little  band  of  struggling 
people  in  Harmony,  Pennsylvania,  in 
1829.  There  was  not  yet  a  Church; 
there  was  not  yet  a  published  Book  of 
Mormon.    There  was  a  man  with  a 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


12 

Friday,  September  29 

story,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  moved 
upon  them  and  bore  witness  that  he 
was  telling  the  truth,  and  so  they  rallied 
to  him  and  gave  him  their  allegiance 
and  asked  him  what  they  must  now  do. 
The  answers  he  gave  them  were  the 
answers  which  made  possible  for  them 
the  greatest  gift  of  God  to  man — hap- 
piness here,  quiet  conscience,  truth,  and 
eternal  opportunities  for  creative  expres- 
sion ultimately  in  the  kingdom  of  God 
with  our  Heavenly  Father. 

To  this  struggling  little  band,  beset 
and  sore  tried,  and  I  am  sure  some  of 
them  seriously  concerned,  came  these 
words: 

"Fear  not  to  do  good,  my  sons,  for 
whatsoever  ye  sow,  that  shall  ye  also 
reap;  therefore,  if  ye  sow  good  ye  shall 
also  reap  good  for  your  reward. 

"Therefore,  fear  not,  little  flock;  do 
good;  let  earth  and  hell  combine  against 
you,  for  if  ye  are  built  upon  my  rock, 
they  cannot  prevail."  (D&C  6:33-34.) 

In  1831  there  was  a  Church  and  a 
published  Book  of  Mormon,  an  organ- 
ization with  officers,  but  the  little 
Church  was  in  its  formative  period. 
There  was  imposition.  There  was 
already  serious  mobbing.  There  was  dis- 
belief and  great  antagonism. 

In  that  day  to  his  people,  through  the 
Prophet,  the  Lord  said: 

"Wherefore,  be  of  good  cheer,  and  do 
not  fear,  for  I  the  Lord  am  with  you, 
and  will  stand  by  you;  and  ye  shall 
bear  record  of  me,  even  Jesus  Christ, 
that  I  am  the  Son  of  the  living  God, 
that  I  was,  that  I  am,  and  that  I  am  to 
come."  (Ibid.,  68:6.) 

Through  all  the  books  of  recorded 
revelations  of  God  to  man,  one  may 
read  again  and  again  the  marvelous 
message  of  fearlessness,  of  faith,  of  cour- 
age, of  testimony,  of  a  sound,  strong 
mind.  The  words  of  Paul  to  Timothy, 
his  son  in  the  gospel,  give  strength  and 
courage  and  ought  to  lay  foundations 
for  us  to  stand  up  where  we  are  and 
bear  our  own  witness  of  faith  and  not 
of  fear.  Said  Paul  to  Timothy,  as  well 
you  know,  "For  God  has  not  given  us 
the  spirit  of  fear,  but  of  power,  and 
of  love,  and  of  a  sound  mind."  (2 
Tim.  1:7.) 

Out  of  the  ancient  record  words  well 
known,  again,  to  all  of  you,  words  of 


First  Day 

faith  and  assurance:  "Yea,  though  I 
walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil:  for  thou 
art  with  me;  .  .  ."  (Psalm  23:4.) 

Through  all  the  dealings  of  God  with 
man  there  have  been  trials  and  troubles 
and  afflictions  and  impositions  and  ap- 
prehensions, and  there  have  been  the 
repeated  assurances  of  God  to  man  that 
he  should  be  of  courage  and  not  fear. 

There  is  one  other  citation  in  the 
Doctrine  and  Covenants  which  I  would 
note,  and  one  from  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon. The  section  known  as  thirty- 
eight  has  in  it  some  of  the  great 
literature  of  the  restoration,  in  my  esti- 
mation, and  among  the  statements  of 
faith  and  assurance  God  gave  is  this 
magnificent,  simple  and  wonderful  one: 
".  .  .  if  ye  are  prepared  ye  shall  not 
fear."  (D&C  38:30.) 

Alma,  teaching  the  people  out  of  his 
own  experience,  and  some  of  it  had  been 
less  than  admirable  in  his  youth,  an- 
swered in  a  most  marvelous  way  what 
the  preparation  is  that  we  must  have  if 
we  are  to  stand  without  fear.  In  the  fifth 
chapter  of  the  book  of  Alma  are  these 
wonderful  words,  and  they  are  written 
(spoken  in  their  time)  to  those  who 
had  once  experienced  a  change  of  heart. 
Alma's  question  to  them  is  ".  .  .  if  you 
have  experienced  a  change  of  heart,  and 
if  you  have  felt  to  sing  the  song  of  re- 
deeming love,  I  would  ask,  can  you  feel 
so  now?"   And  then  these  questions: 

"Have  ye  walked,  keeping  yourselves 
blameless  before  God?  Could  ye  say, 
if  ye  were  called  to  die  at  this  time, 
within  yourselves,  that  ye  have  been 
sufficiently  humble?"  (I  skip  a  word  or 
two  for  the  sake  of  emphasis  and  time.) 

"Behold,  are  ye  stripped  of  pride?  I 
say  unto  you,  if  ye  are  not  ye  are  not 
prepared  to  meet  God.  Behold  ye  must 
prepare  quickly;  for  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  soon  at  hand,  and  such  an  one 
hath  not  eternal  life. 

"Behold,  I  say,  is  there  one  among 
you  who  is  not  stripped  of  envy?  I  say 
unto  you  that  such  an  one  is  not 
prepared;  .  .  . 

".  .  .  is  there  one  among  you  that 
doth  make  a  mock  of  his  brother,  or 
that  heapeth  upon  him  persecutions? 

"Wo  unto  such  an  one,  for  he  is  not 
prepared,  .  .  .*'  (Alma  5:26-31.) 


ELDER  MARION  D.  HANKS 


13 


The  Lord  has  given  us  in  his  great 
goodness  and  graciousness  a  foundation 
of  firmness  upon  which  we  may  stand 
if  we  will,  without  fear,  but  with  faith, 
based  on  preparation,  a  preparation 
which  he,  through  his  prophets,  has 
clearly  spelled  out.  If  you  have  had  a 
testimony  of  the  gospel,  if  you  have  felt 
in  your  heart  this  great  stirring,  mov- 
ing, satisfying  love  of  God,  do  you  have 
it  now?  Are  you  obedient?  Do  you 
keep  the  commandments  of  God? 

He  talked  of  humility  and  of  faithful- 
ness. He  talked  of  weeding  out  of  our 
lives  pride  and  envy,  persecutions  and 
mockery.  I  offer  these  simple  sugges- 
tions— over-simplified  and  only  in 
headline — as  to  what  we  may  do  to  have 
faith  and  weed  out  fear.  We  may  learn 
the  gospel.  We  may  obey  the  injunction 
of  God  to  search  diligently,  to  seek,  to 
knock,  to  ask,  to  invest  ourselves  in  an 
honest  effort  to  know  what  we  are  talk- 
ing about. 

I  heard  someone  say  (and  I  cannot 
personally  vouch  for  the  accuracy  of 
this,  but  I  think  probably  it  is  so)  that 
those  who  read  the  Book  of  Mormon 
out  loud  to  put  that  book  on  the  records 
which  are  for  sale  completed  the  task  in 
something  like  thirty-five  hours  or  less. 
Yet  there  are  Latter-day  Saints  who  live 
and  die  and  never  read  the  book. 

In  addition  to  learning,  we  must  live 
as  the  Lord  has  commanded  us.  There 
are  so  many  marvelous  directions  and 
injunctions  and  suggestions  and  com- 
mandments from  God,  but  let  me  repeat 
only  a  few  words,  very  familiar  to  all 
of  you,  because  they  seem  to  me  to 
constitute  the  heart  of  the  spirit  of  faith 
which  we  can  have  if  we  will.  The  Lord 
said  that  if  we  exercise  power  and  author- 
ity and  leadership  in  the  Church  it  must 
be  done  on  the  basis  of  ".  .  .  persuasion, 
by  long-suffering,  by  gentleness  and 
meekness,  and  by  love  unfeigned; 

"By  kindness,  and  pure  knowl- 
edge, .  .  . 

"Reproving  betimes  with  sharpness, 
when  moved  upon  by  the  Holy  Ghost; 
and  then  showing  forth  afterwards  an 
increase  of  love  toward  him  whom  we 
have  reproved,  lest  he  esteem  us  to  be 
his  enemy."  (D&C  121:41-43.) 

The  word  charity  is  used,  and  the 
word  virtue.  I  thought  at  an  early  hour 


this  morning  of  some  counsel  Alma 
gave  his  son,  Shiblon.  Some  of  the  great 
instructions  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  are 
given  by  fathers  to  their  own  sons, 
a  magnificent  example,  and  some  of  the 
greatest  testimonies  borne.  Hear  these 
words  of  Alma  to  Shiblon: 

"Do  not  pray  as  the  Zoramites  do, 
for  ye  have  seen  that  they  pray  to  be 
heard  of  men,  and  to  be  praised  for 
their  wisdom. 

"Do  not  say:  O  God,  I  thank  thee 
that  we  are  better  than  our  brethren; 
but  rather  say:  O  Lord,  forgive  my  un- 
worthiness,  and  remember  my  brethren 
in  mercy — yea,  acknowledge  your  un- 
worthiness  before  God  at  all  times." 
(Alma  38:13-14.) 

If  we  are  to  have  faith  and  turn  away 
fear,  we  must  learn  and  live,  and  I 
would  add,  share  and  serve  the  gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ.  You  are  all  very  familiar 
with  the  impressive  account  in  the  story 
of  Lehi's  vision  of  the  great  satisfaction 
that  came  to  Lehi  as  he  tasted  the  fruit 
of  the  tree — that  tree  which  represented 
the  love  of  God.  Let  me  read  you  what 
followed  his  expression  of  satisfaction 
as  he  tasted  the  love  of  God. 

"And  it  came  to  pass  that  I  did  go 
forth  and  partake  of  the  fruit  thereof; 
and  I  beheld  that  it  was  most  sweet, 
above  all  that  I  ever  before  tasted.  Yea, 
and  I  beheld  that  the  fruit  thereof  was 
white,  to  exceed  all  the  whiteness  that 
I  had  ever  seen. 

"And  as  I  partook  of  the  fruit  thereof 
it  filled  my  soul  with  exceeding  great 
joy;  wherefore,  I  began  to  be  desirous 
that  my  family  should  partake  of  it 
also;  .  .  ."  (1  Nephi  8:11-12.) 

I  conceive  this  to  be  the  simplest  and 
most  understandable  of  human  emo- 
tions. That  which  is  beautiful  and  good 
and  satisfying  to  the  soul  is  infinitely 
more  so  when  shared  with  those  we  love. 
I  believe  this  is  the  foundation  of  the 
missionary  work  of  the  Church,  of  the 
Primary  program  and  the  genealogical 
program  and  the  serviceman's  program, 
and  every  other  effort  made  by  the 
Church  to  lift  and  inspire  and 
strengthen  the  individual  child  of  God. 

If  we  will  learn  for  ourselves  through 
investment,  through  effort,  through 
search,  if  we  will  live  and  share  and 
serve  God— the  gospel,  his  good  word, 


14 

Friday,  September  29 

his  glad  tidings — then  we  have  no  need 
to  fear,  not  him  who  can  kill  the  body, 
not  any  man,  or  any  foe.  We  have  need 
to  do  all  that  we  can.  We  have 
need  to  make  the  kind  of  preparation 
God  asks  of  us,  and  if  we  have  so  done, 
then  we  can  stand  with  a  spirit  of 
power,  of  strength,  of  a  sound  mind, 
and  bear  testimony  of  Jesus.  We  can  be 
of  good  cheer  and  fear  not.  We  can 
have  that  fearlessness  characteristic  of 
God's  children  in  all  the  ages  who  have 
had  such  a  change  of  heart — the  change 
of  which  our  President  has  spoken 
today.  The  prophets  of  old  spoke  of  it, 
and  of  it  I  testify,  thanking  God  that  so 
far  as  I  am  able  to  know  my  own  heart 
and  my  own  mind,  I  may  say  to  you 
that  I  am  not  afraid  of  Mr.  Khrushchev 
or  what  he  can  do.  I  am  afraid  of  the 
influence  of  the  one  whom  the  scriptures 
occasionally  call  Beelzebub.  I  have  a 
respect  for  him  and  what  he  can  do  if 
we  permit  him.  I  do  not  want  my  feet 
on  the  side  of  the  line  where  he  is  in 
charge. 

I  pray  that  God  will  bless  me  and 
you  and  through  us  all  whom  we  may 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


First  Day 

touch,  that  we  may  radiate,  exude  a 
spirit  of  faith  and  not  of  fear,  that  we 
will  make  preparation  and  then  stand 
humbly  before  God,  of  good  cheer  and 
without  fear.  In  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

He  to  whom  we  have  just  listened  is 
Elder  Marion  D.  Hanks  of  the  First 
Council  of  Seventy. 

Sister  Florence  Jepperson  Madsen  will 
now  lead  the  chorus  and  congregation  in 
singing,  "High  On  The  Mountain  Top." 
After  the  singing  Bishop  Joseph  L. 
Wirthlin  of  the  Presiding  Bishopric 
will  address  us. 

The  congregation  joined  with  the 
Singing  Mothers  Chorus  in  singing  the 
hymn,  "High  On  The  Mountain  Top." 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Bishop  Joseph  L.  Wirthlin  of  the 
Presiding  Bishopric  will  now  speak 
to  us. 


BISHOP  JOSEPH  L.  WIRTHLIN 


President  McKay,  my  beloved  brethren 
and  sisters,  I  am  more  than  grateful 
for  the  privilege  of  expressing  to  you 
my  heartfelt  appreciation.  As  I  meet 
the  members  of  the  Church  in  the 
various  stakes,  I  am  meeting  with  my 
brethren  and  sisters,  for  we  are  brethren 
and  sisters.  I  think  of  our  Older  Brother 
Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God.  It  is  a 
wonderful  thing  to  know  that  we  are 
all  brethren  and  sisters  and,  above  all, 
that  we  are  the  sons  and  daughters 
of  our  Heavenly  Father,  and  also  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  our  Older  Brother. 

I  want  to  bear  testimony  to  you  that 
I  know  that  Joseph  Smith  was  a  Prophet. 
There  is  no  question  about  that  in  my 
mind.  I  am  so  grateful  that  in  my  own 
soul  I  can  bear  that  testimony  without 
any  hesitation  whatsoever. 

It  was  necessary  for  the  world  to  have 
a  prophet  that  the  gospel  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  in  its  fulness  might  be 
available  to  the  sons  and  daughters  of 


our  Heavenly  Father.  Joseph  Smith  was 
a  Prophet,  and  those  who  have  followed 
him  are  also  prophets,  every  one  of 
them.  President  McKay  is  a  prophet, 
a  seer,  and  a  revelator,  brethren  and 
sisters.  That  is  my  testimony  to  you 
this  morning. 

I  think  of  the  marvelous  revelation 
given  by  the  Lord  to  the  Prophet  Joseph 
in  the  eighty-eighth  section  of  the 
Doctrine  and  Covenants.  I  suggest  that 
you  read  it  in  your  homes  with  your 
sons  and  daughters.  It  is  called  the  Olive 
Leaf,  and  it  states  that  the  light  of 
truth  is  the  light  of  Christ.  If  the  whole 
world  could  accept  Jesus  Christ  as  the 
Son  of  God,  there  is  no  question  but 
that  many  of  the  problems  which  now 
exist  could  be  solved,  and  out  of  it  we 
would  have  peace  and  good  will.  In 
the  final  analysis,  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  has  the 
responsibility  of  teaching  to  the  world 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God. 


BISHOP  JOSEP 

At  some  future  time,  the  missionaries 
and  representatives  of  the  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ  are  going  to  have  the 
opportunity  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
Russian  people.  Just  how  it  shall  happen 
or  what  will  bring  it  about,  I  cannot 
tell  you.  But  in  the  main,  the  Russian 
people  are  a  good  people.  When  the 
Lord  makes  it  possible  for  missionaries 
to  go  into  that  area  and  preach  the 
gospel,  literally  millions  of  them  will 
accept  it,  and  that  same  feeling  of  the 
light  of  truth,  the  light  of  Christ,  will 
come  to  them. 

It  does  not  only  mean  to  the  people 
in  Russia,  but  it  also  means  to  the 
people  in  China  where  there  are  literally 
millions  and  millions  of  the  Lord's  sons 
and  daughters  who  do  not  know  that 
Jesus  Christ  existed.  But  in  the  way  of 
the  Lord,  the  missionaries  somehow  are 
going  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  people 
in  China. 

What  I  say  about  China  is  equally 
true  with  reference  to  India.  I  recall 
an  experience  which  I  had  this  past 
summer  with  an  individual  from  India 
who  had  spent  some  time  at  Brig- 
ham  Young  University.  He  came  to  our 
offices,  and  I  had  the  privilege  of  meet- 
ing him.  He  indicated  to  me  that  he 
had  read  the  Book  of  Mormon.  I  asked 
him  the  question,  "Do  you  believe  the 
Book  of  Mormon  is  true,  that  it  is  the 
real  history  of  America?"  He  said,  "Yes, 
I  accept  it."  I  said,  "Then,  if  you 
accept  the  Book  of  Mormon,  you,  no 
doubt,  have  given  some  consideration 
to  Christ  and  Joseph  Smith."  He  said, 
"I  have  done  that.  Joseph  Smith  is  a 
prophet."  I  made  clear  to  him  that  we 
had  another  prophet  with  the  same 
authority,  with  the  same  rights  to  divine 
guidance  as  existed  in  the  days  of  Joseph 
Smith,  namely,  President  McKay.  He 
said,  "I  hope  the  time  will  come  when 
you  will  send  your  missionaries  into 
India.  I  am  satisfied  that  our  people 
are  now  waiting  for  something  different, 
something  else,  something  they  do  not 
have."  President  McKay,  I  am  sure  that 
some  day  the  missionaries  will  go  into 
India  and  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
millions  and  millions  of  individuals 
who  do  not  know  very  much  about 
Christ  and  never  will  know  until  we 


r  L.  WIRTHLIN  15 

have  the  opportunity  to  teach  them  the 

gospel. 

The  Lord  said  in  the  eighty-eighth 
section  of  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants 
to  search  for  the  truth  through  study 
and  prayer.  I  am  sure  that  every  con- 
vert of  the  Church  accepts  the  gospel  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  through  study  and 
prayer.  Prayer  is  most  important  to  con- 
verts. 

In  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants,  the 
Lord  said  to  us: 

"Cease  to  be  idle;  cease  to  be  unclean; 
cease  to  find  fault  one  with  another; 
cease  to  sleep  longer  than  is  needful; 
retire  to  thy  bed  early,  that  ye  may  not 
be  weary;  arise  early,  that  your  bodies 
and  your  minds  may  be  invigorated. 

"And  above  all  things,  clothe  your- 
selves with  the  bond  of  charity,  as  with 
a  mantle,  which  is  the  bond  of  perfect- 
ness  and  peace."  (D&C  88:124-125.) 

I  have  thought  of  this  wonderful  state- 
ment many  times  in  that  marvelous 
revelation:  "Cease  to  be  idle."  The 
membership  of  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  brethren  and 
sisters,  do  not  have  time  to  be  idle.  It 
is  wonderful  that  in  this  great  organiza- 
tion every  man  and  every  woman  and 
every  child,  regardless  of  age,  has  some- 
thing to  do.  That  is  the  great  fundamen- 
tal difference  between  the  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ  and  the  churches  of  the 
world.  "Cease  to  be  idle." 

We  must  set  the  proper  example  to 
the  people  of  America.  We  cannot  afford 
to  have  idle  people.  Every  American 
ought  to  have  something  to  do.  This 
will  protect  him  against  the  power  of 
the  evil  one,  Satan. 

I  think  of  certain  organizations  which 
give  individuals  the  right  to  work  only 
for  a  short  time.  Some  of  them  advocate 
only  four  or  five  days  a  week.  That  is 
contrary  to  the  mind  and  will  of  our 
Heavenly  Father.  The  Lord  set  us  a 
proper  example  when  he  said,  "Six  days 
shalt  thou  labour,  and  do  all  thy  work: 
. . ."  (Ex.  20:9.)  And  what  is  the  seventh 
day  to  be?  The  seventh  day  is  the  day 
when  we  worship  the  Lord,  when  we 
meet  our  assignments  in  connection  with 
the  Church  and,  above  all,  have  the 
opportunity  of  attending  Sacrament 
meeting,  the  most  important  meeting  of 
the  whole  week.  It  is  my  prayer  that  the 


16 

Friday,  September  29 

attendance  at  our  Sacrament  meeting 
will  be  one  hundred  percent.  I  hope  that 
in  America  we  will  not  have  the  ex- 
perience that  I  had  in  Germany  in 
1914  while  preaching  the  gospel  to 
the  German  people.  I  passed  a  great 
cathedral  each  weekend.  One  morning 
I  went  inside.  It  was  beautiful,  and  I 
also  noticed  that  there  were  four  people 
in  the  attitude  of  prayer.  The  next  week 
something  happened  to  Germany.  What 
was  it?  Germany  was  at  war  with 
France,  England,  and  Russia.  Again  I 
went  back  and  found  the  cathedral  was 
filled  to  capacity  with  as  many  people 
outside  as  there  were  inside.  They  had 
all  gone  there  for  one  purpose  only:  to 
pray  to  the  Lord  that  their  husbands  and 
their  sons  and  those  who  were  on  the 
front  fighting  for  Germany  might  be 
protected. 

I  hope  that  in  America  we  are  not 
going  to  be  forced  to  pray  because  of 
difficulties  and  possibilities  of  war,  but 
we  are  going  to  be  a  prayerful  people 
and  recognize  that  God  lives  and  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  his  Son. 

In  this  marvelous  revelation  I  have 
just  read  to  you,  the  Lord  not  only  said, 
"Cease  to  be  idle,"  but  he  also  said, 
"cease  to  be  unclean;  ..."  I  hope  and 
pray  with  all  my  heart  that  America 
will  be  a  clean  nation. 

The  Lord  also  said,  ".  .  .  cease  to  find 
fault  one  with  another,  .  .  ."  In  every 
Latter-day  Saint  home  care  should  be 
taken  when  a  father  criticizes  a  son  or  a 
son  is  critical  of  a  father  or  when 
a  mother  is  critical  of  her  daughter  or  a 
daughter  is  critical  of  her  mother;  it 
brings  into  the  home  the  power  of  the 
evil  one,  and  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  will 
not  dwell  there.  Faultfinding  should 
be  eliminated  in  the  family  relationship. 

Again  it  states,  ".  .  .  cease  to  sleep 
longer  than  is  needful;  retire  to  thy 
bed  early,  that  ye  may  not  be  weary, 
.  .  ."  Much  could  be  said  about  this. 
Youth  must  have  its  recreation,  we  will 
all  admit,  but  the  right  kind  of  recrea- 
tion is  going  to  be  that  which  is  under 
the  direction  of  the  priesthood.  We  have 
these  wonderful  buildings,  these  recrea- 
tion halls,  where  the  right  kind  of  rec- 
reation is  available,  and  where  these 
events  will  start  at  such  a  time  that 
youth  may  return  home  by  at  least 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


First  Day 

twelve  o'clock.  After  twelve  o'clock  is 
when  the  power  of  the  evil  one  over- 
takes youth  and  others.  We  should  see 
to  it  that  they  retire  to  their  beds  early 
that  when  they  get  up  in  the  morning 
they  are  not  weary.  That  means  much 
to  youth,  particularly  those  who  are 
attending  school,  for  out  of  the  strength 
they  have  mentally  and  physically,  they 
are  able  to  meet  the  assignments  that 
may  be  given  to  them  by  their  instruc- 
tors. The  promise  is  given,  ".  .  .  arise 
early,  that  your  bodies  and  your  minds 
may  be  invigorated." 

Prayer  is  also  mentioned  when  the 
head  of  the  family,  who  does  or  does 
not  hold  the  Melchizedek  Priesthood, 
can  call  his  wife,  his  sons  and  his 
daughters  in  the  morning  hours  to  ask 
the  Lord  for  divine  guidance  in  what- 
ever their  assignments  might  be.  Then 
as  the  night  hours  come  on,  they  can 
talk  to  that  same  Lord  and  extend  grati- 
tude and  thanks  for  the  many  blessings 
they  enjoy.  "Pray  always,  that  ye  might 
not  faint,  until  I  come.  Behold,  and  lo, 
I  will  come  quickly,  and  receive  you 
unto  myself.  Amen."  (Ibid.,  88:126.) 

Let  us  read  the  eighty-eighth  section 
of  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants.  It  is  a 
marvelous  revelation.  We  need  it  breth- 
ren and  sisters.  We  have  problems,  and 
we  will  continue  to  have  them,  and 
the  Lord  has  always  given  us  informa- 
tion and  divine  guidance  to  solve  them 
through  these  instructions. 

I  pray  the  Lord  to  bless  you  all  in 
your  endeavors  to  guide  and  direct  you 
that  we  may  enjoy  the  divine  guidance 
of  our  Heavenly  Father,  which  I  pray 
will  be  the  blessing  of  each  and  every 
one  of  us,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Bishop  Joseph  L.  Wirthlin  of  the 
Presiding  Bishopric  has  just  spoken  to 
us. 

The  Relief  Society  Singing  Mothers 
will  now  favor  us  with,  "Come  Unto 
Him,"  conducted  by  Sister  Florence 
Jepperson  Madsen.  The  benediction 
will  be  offered  by  Elder  Clifton  A. 
Rooker,  president  of  the  San  Joaquin 
Stake,  after  which  this  Conference  will 


PRESIDENT  DAVID  O.  McKAY 


17 


be  adjourned  until  two  o'clock  this 
afternoon. 

I  repeat  to  you  again  that  the  music 
of  this  session  has  been  furnished  by 
the  Relief  Society  Singing  Mothers  from 
Central  Utah  and  Mt.  Timpanogos 
Welfare  Regions,  under  the  direction  of 
Sister  Madsen,  and  you  will  be  happy 
to  know  that  these  Singing  Mothers  will 
be  with  us  again  this  afternoon.  Elder 


Alexander  Schreiner  has  been  at  the 
organ. 

The  Singing  Mothers  Chorus  sang  the 
anthem,  "Come  Unto  Him." 

Elder  Clifton  A.  Rooker,  president 
of  the  San  Joaquin  Stake,  offered  the 
closing  prayer. 

Conference  adjourned  until  2:00  p.m. 


FIRST  DAY 
AFTERNOON  MEETING 


Conference  reconvened  Friday  after- 
noon, September  29,  at  2:00  p.m.,  with 
President  David  O.  McKay  presiding 
and  conducting  the  services. 

As  was  the  case  in  the  morning  ses- 
sion, the  choral  music  was  furnished  by 
the  Relief  Society  Singing  Mothers 
Chorus  from  the  Central  Utah  and  Mt. 
Timpanogos  regions,  with  Sister  Flor- 
ence Jepperson  Madsen  conducting. 
Frank  W.  Asper  was  at  the  organ 
console. 

President  McKay  made  the  following 
introductory  remarks: 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Members  of  the  Church  are  con- 
vened in  the  Tabernacle  on  Temple 
Square  in  Salt  Lake  City  in  the  second 
session  of  the  One  Hundred  Thirty-First 
Semi-Annual  Conference  of  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints.  In 
addition  to  telegrams  read  in  this  morn- 
ing's session,  we  have  just  received  the 
following  cable  from  President  Levi  B. 
Thorup  of  the  Danish  Mission.  "Mis- 
sionaries and  Saints  in  Demark  send 
greetings  and  wishes  for  a  wonderful 
Conference." 

This  session  of  the  Conference  will  be 
broadcast,  as  the  one  this  morning,  as 
a  public  service  over  television  and  radio 
stations  throughout  the  West.  The 
names  of  these  stations  have  already 
been  announced  to  the  television  and 
radio  audiences.  These  services  are 
also  being  broadcast  in  the  Assembly 
Hall  and  in  Barratt  Hall  by  television. 

Again  we  are  favored  by  the  presence 
of  the  Relief  Society  Singing  Mothers 


from  the  Central  Utah  and  Mt. 
Timpanogos  Welfare  Regions.  Sister 
Florence  Jepperson  Madsen  is  conduct- 
ing, and  Elder  Frank  W.  Asper  is  at 
the  organ. 

We  shall  begin  these  services  by  the 
Relief  Society  Singing  Mothers  render- 
ing "Glory  to  God."  The  invocation 
will  be  offered  by  Elder  Henry  A.  Matis, 
president  of  the  Roy  Stake. 

The  Relief  Society  Singing  Mothers 
Chorus  sang  the  number,  "Glory  To 
God,"  following  which  the  opening 
prayer  was  offered  by  Elder  Henry 
A.  Matis,  president  of  the  Roy  Stake. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

The  invocation  was  offered  by  Presi- 
dent Henry  A.  Matis  of  the  Roy  Stake. 
The  Relief  Society  Singing  Mothers  will 
now  favor  us  with,  "Lord,  Hear  Our 
Prayer,"  conducted  by  Sister  Florence 
Jepperson  Madsen. 

Following  this  song,  President  Joseph 
Fielding  Smith  will  speak  to  us,  Presi- 
dent of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve.  He 
will  be  followed  by  Elder  Delbert  L. 
Stapley  of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve. 

The  Singing  Mother's  Chorus  then 
sang,  "Lord,  Hear  Our  Prayer." 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  Joseph  Fielding  Smith,  Presi- 
dent of  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve,  will 
now  speak  to  us. 


18  GENERAL  CONFERENCE 

Friday,  September  29  First  Day 

PRESIDENT  JOSEPH  FIELDING  SMITH 

Of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


I  consider  this  a  great  honor  and  a  privi- 
lege to  stand  before  this  vast  body, 
mostly  of  men  holding  the  priesthood, 
to  bear  testimony  unto  them  of  my  faith. 
I  seek  the  guidance  of  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  in  what  I  have  to  say. 

During  the  past  week  or  two  I  have 
received  a  number  of  letters  from  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  United  States  written 
by  people,  some  of  whom  at  least  are  a 
little  concerned  because  they  have  been 
approached  by  enemies  of  the  Church 
and  enemies  of  the  Book  of  Mormon, 
who  had  made  the  statement  that  there 
have  been  one  or  two  or  more  thousand 
changes  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  since 
the  first  edition  was  published.  Well, 
of  course,  there  is  no  truth  in  that 
statement. 

It  is  true  that  when  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon was  printed  the  printer  was  a  man 
who  was  unfriendly.  The  publication 
of  the  book  was  done  under  adverse 
circumstances,  and  there  were  a  few 
errors,  mostly  typographical — conditions 
that  arise  in  most  any  book  that  is 
being  published — but  there  was  not  one 
thing  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  or  in  the 
second  edition  or  any  other  edition  since 
that  in  any  way  contradicts  the  first 
edition,  and  such  changes  as  were  made, 
were  made  by  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith 
because  under  those  adverse  conditions 
the  Book  of  Mormon  was  published. 
But  there  was  no  change  of  doctrine. 

Now,  these  sons  of  Belial  who  circu- 
late these  reports  evidently  know  better. 
I  will  not  use  the  word  that  is  in  my 
mind.  I  started  to  read  the  Book  of 
Mormon  before  I  was  old  enough  to  be 
a  deacon,  and  I  have  been  reading  it 
ever  since,  and  I  know  that  it  is  true. 
Every  member  of  the  Church  ought  to 
know  that  it  is  true,  and  we  ought  to 
be  prepared  with  an  answer  to  all  of 
these  critics  who  condemn  it.  They 
are  laying  themselves  open  to  punish- 
ment when  they  come  to  the  judgment, 
and  the  Lord  has  said  that  such  char- 
acters would  arise.  Moroni  wrote  about 
them,  and  the  Lord  answered  him  in 
regard  to  the  critics  that  "fools  mock, 
but  they  shall  mourn."  (Ether  12:26.) 


We  have  been  trying  this  year  to  get 
every  man  holding  the  priesthood,  and 
our  sisters  too,  to  read  the  Book  of 
Mormon  during  the  year  1961 — no 
matter  how  many  times  they  may  have 
read  it  before.  It  seems  to  me  that  any 
member  of  this  Church  would  never 
be  satisfied  until  he  or  she  had  read  the 
Book  of  Mormon  time  and  time  again, 
and  thoroughly  considered  it  so  that  he 
or  she  could  bear  witness  that  it  is  in 
very  deed  a  record  with  the  inspiration 
of  the  Almighty  upon  it,  and  that  its 
history  is  true. 

I  can  testify  of  that,  for  I  know  the 
Book  of  Mormon  is  true  just  as  well  as 
I  know  I  am  standing  here  in  this 
building  facing  you. 

So  much  for  that.  I  want  to  address 
myself  to  the  men  holding  the  priest- 
hood, particularly,  and  to  their  wives 
and  to  all  other  members  of  the  Church. 
No  member  of  this  Church  can  stand 
approved  in  the  presence  of  God  who 
has  not  seriously  and  carefully  read  the 
Book  of  Mormon,  and  I  think  I  could 
add  to  that  also,  as  far  as  our  brethren 
are  concerned,  the  Doctrine  and 
Covenants. 

We  have  besides  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon and  Doctrine  and  Covenants,  an- 
other record  which  is  priceless,  as  these 
records  are,  that  every  member  of  this 
Church  ought  to  have  read,  and  which 
I  fear  many  have  not  read.  I  have 
reference  to  the  Pearl  of  Great  Price. 
It  seems  to  me  that  a  member  of  this 
Church  would  not  be  able  to  rest  in 
peace  and  comfort  and  have  a  clear 
conscience  without  having  knowledge 
by  study  and  by  faith  of  the  standard 
works  of  the  Church.  These  records 
are  priceless.  The  world  mocks  at 
them,  but  through  their  teachings  we 
are  permitted  to  come  nearer  unto 
God,  get  a  better  understanding  of  our 
Heavenly  Father  and  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  become  closer  acquainted  with 
them  and  to  know  more  in  regard  to 
the  wonderful  plan  of  salvation  which 
they  have  given  unto  us  and  unto  the 
world  if  it  will  receive  the  plan  that 
will  exalt  us  in  the  kingdom  of  God  to 


PRESIDENT  JOSEPH  FIELDING  SMITH 


19 


become  his  sons  and  his  daughters,  re- 
ceiving the  fulness  of  that  kingdom. 

In  closing  this  record,  Moroni  wrote 
these  words:  "And  I  exhort  you  to  re- 
member these  things;  for  the  time 
speedily  cometh  that  ye  shall  know  that 
I  lie  not,  for  ye  shall  see  me  at  the  bar 
of  God;  and  the  Lord  God  will  say  unto 
you:  Did  I  not  declare  my  words  unto 
you,  which  were  written  by  this  man, 
like  as  one  crying  from  the  dead,  yea, 
even  as  one  speaking  out  of  the  dust? 

"I  declare  these  things  unto  the  fulfill- 
ing of  the  prophecies.  And  behold,  they 
shall  proceed  forth  out  of  the  mouth  of 
the  everlasting  God;  and  his  word  shall 
hiss  forth  from  generation  to  generation. 

"And  God  shall  show  unto  you,  that 
that  which  I  have  written  is  true. 

"And  again  I  would  exhort  you  that 
ye  would  come  unto  Christ,  and  lay 
hold  upon  every  good  gift,  and  touch 
not  the  evil  gift,  nor  the  unclean  thing." 
(Moroni  10:27-30.) 

That  is  the  counsel  of  Moroni  as  he 
closed  his  record,  not  only  to  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Church,  but  to  every  soul 
unto  whom  this  record  comes.  I  want 
to  bear  testimony  to  you,  my  good 
brethren  here,  and  our  sisters  and  to 
the  members  of  the  Church  who  listen 
in  and  to  everyone  else,  that  I  know  that 
the  Book  of  Mormon  is  true;  that  Joseph 
Smith  received  it  from  the  hand  of 
God  through  an  angel  that  was  sent 
to  reveal  it,  the  same  angel  who,  while 
living  in  this  world,  finished  the  record 
and  sealed  it  up  to  come  forth  in  this 
Dispensation  of  the  Fulness  of  Times. 

I  would  like  to  call  your  attention  to 
one  thing  in  the  Book  of  Mormon.  The 
Lord  has  promised  us  greater  knowledge, 
greater  understanding  than  we  find  in 
the  Book  of  Mormon,  when  we  are  pre- 
pared to  receive  it.  When  the  brother 
of  Jared  went  upon  the  mount  to  have 
the  Lord  touch  stones  to  give  them  light 
to  light  their  way  across  the  great  ocean, 
the  Lord  revealed  to  him  the  history 
of  this  world  from  the  beginning  of  it 
to  the  end.    We  do  not  have  it. 

I  am  going  to  read  one  or  two  pas- 
sages of  scripture  from  the  Book  of 
Mormon  in  relation  to  that  matter. 

"And  he"  (that  is,  Christ)  "did  ex- 
pound all  things,  even  from  the  be- 
ginning until  the  time  that  he  should 


come  in  his  glory — yea,  even  all  things 
which  should  come  upon  the  face  of 
the  earth,  even  until  the  elements  should 
melt  with  fervent  heat,  and  the  earth 
should  be  wrapt  together  as  a  scroll, 
and  the  heavens  and  the  earth  should 
pass  away;  .  .  ."  (3  Nephi  26:3.) 

All  of  that  was  written  and  given  to 
the  Nephites.  We  do  not  have  that 
record,  and  the  Lord  said  this — which  is 
concerning  us  particularly — and  Mor- 
mon wrote  it: 

"And  these  things  have  I  written, 
which  are  a  lesser  part  of  the  things 
which  he  taught  the  people;  and  I  have 
written  them  to  the  intent  that  they 
may  be  brought  again  unto  this  people, 
from  the  Gentiles,  according  to  the 
words  which  Jesus  hath  spoken. 

"And  when  they  shall  have  received 
this,  which  is  expedient  that  they  should 
have  first,  to  try  their  faith,  and  if  it 
shall  so  be  that  they  shall  believe  these 
things  then  shall  the  greater  things  be 
made  manifest  unto  them. 

"And  if  it  so  be  that  they  will  not 
believe  these  things,  then  shall  the 
greater  things  be  withheld  from  them, 
unto  their  condemnation."  (Ibid.,  26:8- 
10.) 

I  say  that  when  the  brother  of  Jared 
went  on  the  mount,  the  Lord  revealed 
the  history  of  this  earth  to  him  from 
the  beginning  to  the  end  thereof,  but 
we  do  not  have  it.  But  when  the 
Nephites  became  righteous,  after  the 
visit  of  the  Son  of  God,  the  Lord  re- 
vealed that  record  to  them,  and  then 
when  they  began  to  fall  away,  he  took 
the  record  away  again  and  hid  it  up. 
Here  is  what  the  Lord  says  about  it. 

"And  after  Christ  truly  had  showed 
himself  unto  his  people,  he  commanded 
that  they  should  be  made  manifest." 
(That  is,  the  full  record.) 

"And  now,  after  that,  they  have  all 
dwindled  in  unbelief;  and  there  is  none 
save  it  be  the  Lamanites,  and  they  have 
rejected  the  gospel  of  Christ;  therefore 
I  am  commanded  that  I  should  hide 
them  up  again  in  the  earth."  (Ether 
4:2-3.) 

For  the  sake  of  time  I  will  skip  a  little 
and  say  that  the  Lord  has  promised 
that  we  can  have  that  hidden  record 
when  we  are  prepared  to  receive  it.  I 
will  read  it. 


20 

Friday,  September  29 

"For  the  Lord  said  unto  me:  They  shall 
not  go  forth  unto  the  Gentiles  until  the 
day  that  they  shall  repent  of  their 
iniquity,  and  become  clean  before  the 
Lord. 

"And  in  that  day  that  they  shall  exer- 
cise faith  in  me,  saith  the  Lord,  even 
as  the  brother  of  Jared  did,  that  they 
may  become  sanctified  in  me,  then  will 
I  manifest  unto  them  the  things  which 
the  brother  of  Jared  saw,  even  to  the 
unfolding  unto  them  all  my  revelations, 
saith  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  the 
Father  of  the  heavens  and  of  the  earth, 
and  all  things  that  in  them  are." 
(Ibid.,  4:6-7.) 

Now  the  Lord  has  placed  us  on  pro- 
bation as  members  of  the  Church.  He 
has  given  us  the  Book  of  Mormon,  which 
is  the  lesser  part,  to  build  up  our  faith 
through  our  obedience  to  the  counsels 
which  it  contains,  and  when  we  our- 
selves, members  of  the  Church,  are 
willing  to  keep  the  commandments  as 
they  have  been  given  to  us  and  show 
our  faith  as  the  Nephites  did  for  a  short 
period  of  time,  then  the  Lord  is  ready 
to  bring  forth  the  other  record  and  give 
it  to  us,  but  we  are  not  ready  now  to 
receive  it.  Why?  Because  we  have  not 
lived  up  to  the  requirements  in  this  pro- 
bationary state  in  the  reading  of  the 
record  which  had  been  given  to  us  and 
in  following  its  counsels. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


First  Day 

Brethren,  teach  the  men  who  hold  the 
priesthood  in  their  quorums.  Teach  the 
members  of  the  Church  in  their  meet- 
ings, and  also  when  you  visit  them  in 
their  homes  as  ward  teachers.  When- 
ever the  opportunity  presents  itself,  teach 
them  to  read  and  study  in  faith  and 
prayer  the  revelations  the  Lord  has  given 
us  that  we  may  not  be  deceived  and 
led  astray  by  false  teachers. 

We  have  false  teachers  among  us. 
We  have  apostates  among  us  who  are 
endeavoring  to  tear  down  and  destroy 
the  kingdom  of  God,  and  they  are  dis- 
turbing a  great  many  members  of  the 
Church.  Why?  Because  they  haven't 
the  faith  nor  the  background  in  knowl- 
edge to  resist  these  false  teachers  and 
their  false  doctrines. 

Let  me  plead  with  the  membership  of 
this  Church  for  humility,  for  faith,  for 
more  prayer,  more  study,  more  love  in 
their  hearts  for  God  their  Eternal  Father 
and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

We  have  just  heard  from  President 
Joseph  Fielding  Smith  of  the  Council 
of  the  Twelve.  Elder  Delbert  L.  Stapley 
of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  will  now 
speak  to  us.  He  will  be  followed  by 
Elder  John  Longden,  Assistant  to  the 
Twelve. 


ELDER  DELBERT  L.  STAPLEY 

Of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


My  brothers  and  sisters,  I  trust  the 
talk  I  have  prepared  will  not  depart 
from  the  excellent  and  very  choice 
theme  introduced  this  morning  by  our 
beloved  President,  David  O.  McKay. 

I  have  thought  much  about  the  Lord's 
warning  given  in  this  last  dispensation 
against  the  evils  and  designs  of  con- 
spiring men  in  the  last  days.  When 
calling  our  attention  to  man's  crafty 
schemes  and  artful  intrigues,  the  Lord 
did  not  confine  the  warning,  as  I  under- 
stand it,  to  the  forbidden  items  which 
are  specifically  mentioned  in  the  reve- 
lation on  the  Word  of  Wisdom  or  which 
have  been  interpreted  as  belonging  to 
this  divine  law  of  health.    May  I  read 


to  you  this  admonition  and  warning: 

"Behold,  verily,  thus  saith  the  Lord 
unto  you:  In  consequence  of  evils  and 
designs  which  do  and  will  exist  in  the 
hearts  of  conspiring  men  in  the  last 
days,  I  have  warned  you,  and  forewarn 
you,  by  giving  unto  you  this  word  of 
wisdom  by  revelation—"  (D&C  89:4.) 

The  Word  of  Wisdom  is  a  well  se- 
lected and  timely  example  chosen  by 
the  Lord  for  the  Saints'  understanding 
of  this  warning  against  the  evils  and 
designs  of  conspiring  men. 

The  Lord  foresaw  the  evils  of  our 
day  and  the  designs  of  cunning  and 
deceiving  men  who  operate  under  the 
influence  of  Satan  and  his  satanic  hosts. 


ELDER  DELBERT  L.  STAPLEY 


21 


Satan's  power  to  deceive  and  to  lead 
astray  the  children  of  men  is  unques- 
tioned. The  scriptures  are  full  of  such 
examples. 

To  be  forewarned  is  to  be  forearmed. 
We,  the  people  of  the  Lord,  cannot  af- 
ford to  be  lulled  into  peaceful  security 
and  complacency.  The  dangers  of  our 
day  are  real  and  knocking  constantly 
and  unrelentingly  at  our  doors.  How 
ably  will  we  meet  the  challenge  of  these 
evil  influences  and  designs  of  wicked 
men?  The  test  of  true  Church  mem- 
bership is  here.  Can  we  stand  firm  and 
true  to  the  principles,  ideals,  and  stand- 
ards of  the  gospel,  or  will  we  be  so 
naive  and  unsuspecting  as  to  fall  into 
the  traps  of  evil  so  cunningly  planned 
and  promoted  by  designing  and  con- 
spiring men?  Those  of  a  religious  na- 
ture are  so  often  classified  naive  and 
innocently  unsuspecting.  The  Savior 
knowing  of  this  attribute  counseled  his 
disciples,  "Behold,  I  send  you  forth  as 
sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves:  be  ye 
therefore  wise  as  serpents,  and  harmless 
as  doves."  And  he  added:  ".  .  .  beware 
of  men  "  (Matt.  10:16-17.) 

Possessing,  as  we  do,  the  endowment 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  if  worthy,  we  are  en- 
titled to  the  gift  of  discernment  to  guide 
and  help  us  avoid  the  pitfalls  of  schem- 
ing and  designing  men  to  trap  and 
ensnare  us  into  the  meshes  of  worldly 
lusts,  influences,  and  pleasures. 

I  repeat,  this  warning  concerning  the 
evils  and  designs  of  conspiring  men,  al- 
though given  in  the  revelation  on  the 
Word  of  Wisdom,  has  a  much  broader 
application  than  normally  applied  to  its 
forbidden  items,  and,  if  rightly  viewed, 
encompasses  every  field  of  human  en- 
deavor. It  is  equally  true  that  the  use 
of  the  things  forbidden  in  the  Word  of 
Wisdom  also  serve  to  break  down  the 
accepted  Christian  virtues  and  moral 
concepts  of  life  which  so  often  lead  to 
other  more  serious  transgressions  and 
sins.  To  narrow  the  meaning  of  this 
warning  would  make  us  vulnerable  to 
the  wicked  designs  of  conspiring  men 
who  are  not  interested  in  the  salvation 
of  man  but  rather  are  interested  in  their 
own  personal  favor  or  gain.  The  Savior 
gave  warning  that  in  these  last  days 
Satan  will  rage  in  the  hearts  of  the 


children  of  men  and  will  stir  them  up 
to  anger  against  that  which  is  good. 

"And  others,"  said  the  great  American 
prophet,  Nephi,  "will  he  pacify,  and 
lull  them  away  into  carnal  security, 
that  they  will  say:  All  is  well  in  Zion; 
yea,  Zion  prospereth,  all  is  well — and 
thus  the  devil  cheateth  their  souls,  and 
leadeth  them  away  carefully  down  to 
hell."  (2  Nephi  28:21.) 

We  cannot  with  safety  say,  "all  is 
well  in  Zion."  We  cannot  afford  to  be- 
come complacent  and  indifferent  to  the 
wicked  and  deceptive  designs  of  con- 
spiring men.  Lehi  taught,  "For  it  must 
needs  be,  that  there  is  an  opposition  in 
all  things."  (Ibid.,  2:11.)  That  opposi- 
tion is  present  in  force  today.  The 
pressure  of  Satan's  power  is  intensified 
as  the  time  of  the  Savior's  second  coming 
to  earth  draws  near.  We  have  a  fore- 
boding example  as  recorded  in  the 
Book  of  Mormon  history  of  the  Nephite 
people  in  the  years  just  preceding  the 
birth  of  Christ  into  the  world.  Samuel, 
the  Lamanite  prophet,  prophesied  to  the 
Nephites  of  the  approaching  birth  of 
Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord,  in  the  land  of 
Jerusalem.  They  rejected  his  witness 
and  testimony.  They  attempted  to  ex- 
plain away  the  teachings  of  Samuel  and 
the  unusual  phenomena  of  nature  so 
much  in  evidence  on  this  continent  be- 
fore Christ's  birth,  which  happenings 
were  also  prophesied  of  by  their 
prophets.  They  accused  their  spiritual 
leaders  of  keeping  the  people  down  to 
be  servants  to  their  words,  also  servants 
unto  them.  Thus  ignorantly  persuaded 
they  were  unwilling  to  yield  themselves 
to  the  teachings  and  warnings  of  the 
prophets. 

To  sum  up  these  darkened  and  hard- 
ened attitudes  of  the  Nephites,  I  quote 
one  paragraph  only  from  the  Nephite 
record: 

"And  many  more  things  did  the  peo- 
ple imagine  up  in  their  hearts,  which 
were  foolish  and  vain;  and  they  were 
much  disturbed,  for  Satan  did  stir 
them  up  to  do  iniquity  continually; 
yea,  he  did  go  about  spreading  rumors 
and  contentions  upon  all  the  face  of 
the  land,  that  he  might  harden  the 
hearts  of  the  people  against  that  which 
was  good  and  against  that  which  should 
come."  (Helaman  16:22.) 


22 

Friday,  September  29 

This  account  of  wickedness  and  con- 
tentions among  the  Nephites  prior  to 
the  Lord's  birth  in  the  meridian  of  time 
is  duplicated  in  the  wickedness,  conten- 
tions, and  deceptions  of  our  day  as  we 
approach  the  second  coming  of  our 
Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ.  Prophe- 
cies concerning  these  days  are  also 
being  fulfilled  and  Satan  is  stirring  up 
the  hearts  of  men  to  do  iniquity  con- 
tinually; and  to  thwart,  if  possible, 
faith  in  the  great  event  of  Christ's  sec- 
ond coming  to  earth,  which  I  testify  is 
sure  to  come  to  pass.  Satan  is  alert  and 
active.  We  must  be  more  alert  and 
perceptive  of  the  false  and  insincere 
schemes  of  his  agents  among  us. 

Here  is  a  partial  list  of  areas  where, 
in  my  judgment,  the  warning  applies. 
The  listing  is  not  complete  and  in 
no  way  reflects  the  order  of  their 
seriousness: 

In  the  field  of  politics  the  party  is  so 
often  first,  regardless  of  candidate 
qualifications  or  record  or  party  plat- 
form and  legislative  program. 

Decisions  frequently  based  upon 
political  expediency  and  not  what  is 
best  for  the  people. 

Selfish  ambitions  of  men  in  depart- 
ments of  government  who  also  seek  to 
perpetuate  themselves  in  office. 

Harassing  investigations,  many  of 
which  are  either  publicity  stunts  or 
smoke  screens  to  deceive  the  public 
from  the  underlying  motives  and 
purposes. 

Pressure  groups  seeking  preferential 
treatment  at  the  expense  of  the  people 
as  reflected  in  increased  tax  burdens. 

The  tremendous  extravagance  and 
waste  in  government  with  much  cover- 
ing up  of  mistakes  and  errors. 

Recreation  and  amusements  in  which 
money  is  so  often  spent  for  that  which 
is  of  no  worth  to  the  individual. 

The  theater  and  cinema  which  so  fre- 
quently portray  and  encourage  the  in- 
decent, immoral,  lustful,  and  worldly 
imaginations  and  desires  of  mankind. 

Glamorizing  the  movie  star,  the  enter- 
tainer, or  the  athlete  and  placing  him 
or  her  upon  a  publicity  pedestal  when 
his  or  her  personal  life  may  not  measure 
up  to  the  high  ideals  of  moral  and 
ethical  standards  of  behavior  expected  of 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


First  Day 

celebrities  who  are  constantly  in  the 
public  eye. 

So  much  low  standard  movie  produc- 
tions which  weaken  the  moral  virtues, 
destroy  character  values,  and  encourage 
vice  and  crime  among  youth. 

In  the  field  of  communications,  news- 
papers and  other  periodicals  reveal  the 
vast  expanse  of  man's  designs  and 
schemes  and  frequently  accept  advertis- 
ing which  is  false  and  misleading. 

Recommending  products,  the  quality 
and  benefits  of  which  are  of  question- 
able value. 

Newsstands  with  so  much  vile,  filthy, 
and  obscene,  pornographic  literature 
which  is  a  disgrace  and  a  disease  to 
intelligent  minds. 

Radio  and  television  portray  crime, 
sex,  and  the  sensational.  This  worldly 
and  carnal  emphasis  applies  to  the 
cinema  productions  as  well. 

The  underworld  of  gambling  and  vice 
are  constantly  and  unrelentingly  exploit- 
ing the  innocent  and  unsuspecting. 

Liquor  interests  and  gambling  oper- 
ators partially  justify  their  existence 
through  the  heavy  taxes  paid  by  them 
which  they  claim  relieves  tax  burdens 
from  the  people.  They  fail  to  mention 
that  by  the  use  of  their  products  and 
gambling  devices,  the  customer  pays 
the  tax  and  receives  no  personal  good 
from  the  product  or  activity. 

Some  speculative  business  operators, 
also  swindlers,  with  their  schemes,  stock 
promotions,  and  finance  plans  of  an  un- 
sound and  promotional  nature. 

Promotions  are  not  always  truthful, 
also  short  of  dependable  facts  and  fail 
in  fulfillment  of  promised  income  and 
rewards. 

Organizations  with  deceptive  aims 
and  purposes  which  operate  under  the 
cloak  of  humanitarian,  social,  or  politi- 
cal guise  to  gain  personal  goals  or  pre- 
ferred group  benefits. 

The  aims  and  purposes  appearing  on 
the  surface  do  not  constitute  the  real 
underlying  motives  of  such  sponsoring 
groups.  Examples  may  be  found  in 
socialistic  and  communistic  front  organ- 
izations. 

The  labor  movement  in  certain  areas 
is  permitting  management  racketeers 
whose  motives  are  sinister  and  damag- 
ing to  the  working  class,  to  business, 


ELDER  DELBERT  L.  STAPLEY 


23 


and  to  government.  The  end  of  this 
serious  problem  is  still  before  us  to  be 
reckoned  with. 

The  narcotic  racket  which  includes 
the  promotion  and  use  of  harmful 
drugs  is  a  constant  menace  to  this  and 
other  countries.  The  number  of  drug 
addicts  is  increasing  at  an  alarming 
rate.  In  spite  of  legislation  and  con- 
trols by  the  Federal  Food  and  Drug  Act, 
men  evade  the  law,  and  the  traffic  in 
narcotics  continues  to  expand  and  is  an 
ever-increasing  curse  to  humanity. 

The  disgraceful  abortion  racket  draws 
into  its  net  young  women  pregnant 
out  of  wedlock  who  wish  to  cover 
up  their  sin.  Married  couples  are  also 
guilty  of  this  heinous  sin.  I  refer  you 
to  the  recent  articles  on  this  immoral, 
murderous  racket  recently  featured  in 
The  Saturday  Evening  Post  of  May  20 
and  May  27  of  this  year. 

The  sciences  are  not  free  from  the 
designs  of  conspiring  men,  although 
true  science  is  fundamental  to  modern 
progress  and  living.  The  process  of 
discovery,  which  we  call  science,  is 
neither  good  nor  evil.  It  is  neutral. 
But  the  conditions  which  it  imposes  on 
those  who  practice  it  are  not  neutral. 
Scientists  are  human,  and  many  channel 
their  knowledge  developing  commercial 
products  to  realize  increased  personal 
wealth.  It  is  the  promoters  of  science 
whose  chief  purpose  contemplates  finan- 
cial gain  where  evil  and  designing  men 
will  be  found. 

Although  good  ethics  exist  in  the 
profession  of  law,  nevertheless  the  pro- 
fession is  not  without  the  unscrupulous, 
cunning,  and  designing  fellow  members. 

In  the  practice  of  medicine  and 
surgery,  quacks  and  non-professional 
practitioners  are  found. 

Also  the  physician  without  knowledge 
of  the  main  purpose  of  life  to  bring 
souls  to  earth  will  advise  couples  to 
forego  the  bearing  of  children  and  even 
advise  sterilization  to  the  regret  of  both 
husband  and  wife  when  conditions 
change  in  their  lives. 

Over-emphasizing  surgery,  and  in 
some  cases  needless  and  even  harmful 
surgery. 

Another   example   is   the  so-called 
"cancer  cures." 
The  psychiatrist  who  attributes  cases 


of  maladjustment  in  men  and  women 
to  a  background  of  sex  inadequacy, 
suggests  as  treatment  a  transgression  of 
the  moral  code  to  correct  the  ill. 

The  vast  production  and  sale  of  drugs, 
which  ordinarily  are  beneficial,  yet 
a  fine  line  must  be  drawn  between  the 
designs  of  men  in  the  stock  market  and 
the  actual  medical  need  of  the  drug. 

Teachers  in  educational  fields  pro- 
moting wrong  ideas  and  theories,  also 
personal  views  which  undermine  the 
ethical,  moral,  and  spiritual  values 
which  youth  should  freely  receive  in  the 
classroom. 

In  the  field  of  philosophy  are  found 
the  deceptive  sophistries  of  men.  Also 
the  modern  intellectual  and  free  thinker 
who  attempts  to  modify,  change,  or  im- 
prove upon  the  glorious  truths,  princi- 
ples, and  standards  revealed  of  God  to 
his  chosen  prophets  who  speak  authori- 
tatively by  his  divine  power  and  wisdom. 

Then  there  are  always  the  insincere 
and  unethical,  as  well  as  the  deceiver 
and  anti-Christ  to  deal  with. 

These  are  but  a  few  areas  in  the 
affairs  of  mankind  where  the  agents  of 
evil  prey  upon  the  unsuspecting  and 
innocent.  It  has  ever  been  so  in  the 
history  of  man  and  today  unfortunately, 
the  picture  has  not  changed,  but  oper- 
ates upon  a  much  broader  scale.  Man's 
desires  and  actions  are  not  always 
pleasing  to  God,  and  in  this  era  of  time 
it  seems  man's  conspiring  designs  and 
deceptions  are  destroying  the  ethics  and 
morals  pleasing  to  an  all- wise  and  loving 
Father.  Youth  is  systematically  ex- 
ploited with  great  energy  by  the 
unscrupulous  and  scheming  agents  of 
evil.  Youth  requires  wise  counsel,  good 
example,  and  understanding  teachers 
to  guide  them. 

In  the  Church,  as  elsewhere,  we  are 
at  grips  with  the  trying  problems  of 
evil.  Therefore,  we  should  be  on  guard 
constantly  and  so  live  as  to  discern  the 
designs  and  intents  of  the  wicked  and 
not  fall  prey  to  their  sinister  schemes 
and  motives.  The  Lord  has  been  most 
kind  and  considerate  by  giving  us  this 
knowledge  and  warning  by  revelation. 
Will  we  heed  the  warning  and  not  yield 
to  Satan's  powers  and  stratagems  to  de- 
ceive and  to  destroy  us?  Our  peace, 
our  safety,  our  happiness  is  in  listening 


24 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Friday,  September  29 

to  and  following  the  teachings  and  in- 
structions of  the  Lord's  anointed. 

I  pray,  my  brothers  and  sisters,  that 
we  will  have  faith  in  the  revelations  and 
abide  by  the  commandments,  warnings, 
and  admonitions  which  the  Lord  has 
given  for  our  guidance,  blessing,  and 
exaltation,  and  with  the  eye  of  faith 
see  through  men's  evil  designs  and  with 
courage  and  wise  purpose  avoid  them  as 
a  plague. 


First  Day 

God  bless  us  with  wisdom  and  judg- 
ment to  do  so,  I  humbly  pray,  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

He  to  whom  you  have  just  listened  is 
Elder  Delbert  L.  Stapley  of  the  Coun- 
cil of  the  Twelve.  Elder  John  Longden, 
Associate  to  the  Twelve,  will  now  speak 
to  us. 


ELDER  JOHN  LONGDEN 

Assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


In  just  five  days  it  will  have  been  ten 
years  since  I  was  called  to  become  an 
assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve. 
This  is  the  twentieth  time  that  I  have 
appeared  in  the  Tabernacle  in  this  posi- 
tion, and  I  assure  you  it  does  not  get 
any  easier.  It  has  been  a  decade  of  joy 
and  pleasure  in  visiting  throughout  the 
Church  in  the  United  States,  Canada, 
Mexico,  Central  America,  and  the  Is- 
lands of  the  South  Pacific — Tahiti, 
Tonga,  Samoa,  Cook  Islands,  Australia, 
and  New  Zealand. 

I  am  so  grateful  for  the  rich  privileges 
and  blessings  which  have  been  mine  in 
association  with  members  of  the 
Church  who  are  striving  to  effect  in 
their  lives  the  teachings  of  the  gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ,  members  coming,  I 
presume,  from  all  the  churches  that  are 
organized  in  the  world.  Some  not 
having  claim  to  any  church  have  been 
willing  to  listen  to  the  missionaries 
and  in  so  doing  catch  the  spirit  of  the 
great  message  which  they  have. 

I  think  of  the  words  of  Brigham 
Young,  the  leader  of  modern-day  Israel. 
What  a  leader  he  was  in  taking  the 
reins  after  the  Prophet  Joseph's  martyr- 
dom! He  made  this  declaration:  "Truth 
is  our  text,  the  gospel  of  salvation  our 
subject,  and  the  world  our  circuit." 

This  Church  embodies  all  truth. 
Faithful  members  in  this  Church  know 
that  all  truth  emanates  from  God  our 
Eternal  Father.  He  is  the  fountain 
source  of  truth.  There  is  no  half-truth 
or  untruth  in  this  Church.  I  remem- 
ber hearing  President  George  Albert 
Smith,  another  mouthpiece  and  prophet 


of  the  Lord,  declare  on  several  occa- 
sions, as  he  was  making  an  appeal  to 
others  who  might  not  yet  have  accepted 
the  full  truths  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ  that  they  not  give  up  the  truths 
that  they  had  espoused  but  further  in- 
vestigate and  study  and  search  for 
themselves,  and  they  would  find  that 
which  we  proclaim  is  all  truth,  and  that 
they  would  receive  a  witness  of  this. 

That  is  the  appeal  that  I  have  felt 
has  emanated  from  the  sessions  of  this 
conference  thus  far.  I  know  in  every 
fiber  of  my  being  that  this  Church  em- 
bodies all  truth.  My,  how  the  world 
needs  this  truth  today  in  order  to  put 
down  error,  in  order  to  do  away  with 
the  things  which  Brother  Stapley  has 
called  to  our  attention. 

It  is  truth  to  believe  that  God  lives. 
It  is  truth  to  believe  that  Jesus  is  his 
Divine  Son,  the  Savior  of  the  world.  It 
is  truth  to  believe  that  they,  both  of 
them,  appeared  to  the  boy,  Joseph 
Smith,  in  the  Sacred  Grove.  It  is  truth 
to  believe  that  after  he  was  proved  and 
tested  and  tried  he  had  the  responsibility 
of  re-establishing  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  again  in  the  earth.  It  is  truth 
to  believe  that  all  the  powers  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  and  the  priesthood  have 
been  restored. 

Yes,  I  testify  that  truth  is  our  text 
in  very  deed.  And  I  also  testify  that 
we  have  the  gospel  of  salvation,  and  not 
only  salvation  but  also  exaltation  for  all 
our  Heavenly  Father's  children  who 
will  accept  these  truths  and  live  in 
obedience  to  them.  It  is  marvelous  to 
see  the  gospel  work  in  the  lives  of 


ELDER  JOHN  LONGDEN 


25 


individuals.  About  six  weeks  ago  to- 
day, I  had  the  opportunity  of  being  on 
the  Island  of  Tahiti,  where  I  witnessed 
there  a  few  days  before,  the  construction 
of  a  little  Fall  or  chapel  with  a  thatched 
roof,  where  the  members  had  been 
willing  to  go  out  and  cut  down  the 
coconut  trees  for  the  posts  of  that 
chapel  and  then  tie  the  palms  together 
for  the  roof,  and  then  braiding  the  palms 
to  make  the  sides  so  that  if  it  stormed 
they  would  have  protection  from  the 
wind  and  the  rain.  Otherwise,  the  sides 
would  be  open. 

There  was  a  sand  floor.  Benches  had 
been  made  at  a  cost  of  probably  ten  or 
fifteen  dollars,  the  total  cost  of  the  little 
chapel  about  twenty  to  twenty-five  dol- 
lars. As  is  the  case  all  over  the  Church, 
those  people  were  willing  to  put  in  their 
time  and  their  effort,  and  in  ten  days 
the  chapel  was  constructed.  I  had  the 
privilege  of  dedicating  that  little  build- 
ing, with  134  people  assembled — more 
than  it  could  hold.  Some  were  on  the 
outside.  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  was 
there.  They  were  people  willing  to 
learn  about  salvation  and  exaltation. 
They  were  hungry  for  truth. 

Just  a  week  ago  tonight  it  was  my 
opportunity  and  privilege  to  dedicate 
the  Pesega  chapel  in  Upolu,  West- 
ern Samoa.  The  prime  minister  of 
Western  Samoa  was  in  attendance  and 
spoke  at  the  services,  commending  our 
people  because  he  saw  lives  that  had 
been  changed  into  something  worth- 
while as  they  put  away  the  material 
things  of  life,  put  away  the  pitfalls  and 
the  snares  of  the  adversary,  and  were 
willing  to  cling  to  truth,  having  a  vision 
which  this  Church  offers  to  all  the  world 
of  their  possibilities  and  the  develop- 
ment of  their  potential. 

About  five  weeks  ago  in  New  Zea- 
land, in  Christchurch,  we  went  into  a 
lovely  building  that  is  being  con- 
structed, entirely  different  from  the  one 
I  have  referred  to  at  Faaoue  in  Tahiti. 
That  is  a  glorious  spot.  Here  was 
a  young  woman — many  working — but 
one  young  woman  all  wrapped  up,  it 
seemed,  with  two  or  three  sweaters  be- 
cause Christchurch  can  be  very  cold 
in  winter  and  early  spring,  and  there 
is  nothing  colder  than  a  new  building 


under  construction  without  any  heat, 
as  you  workmen  know.  Upon  being 
introduced  to  her  I  learned  that  she  had 
come  all  the  way  from  Auckland  at  her 
own  expense.  She  had  a  week's  holiday, 
and  she  was  willing  to  serve  that  time 
in  painting  inside  the  Church  because 
she  also  has  a  witness  of  the  truth  of 
the  gospel  of  salvation  and  exaltation. 
Many  all  over  the  world  are  gaining 
this  witness  that  this  is  truth  and  that 
it  offers  something  here  in  mortality 
to  live  by  and  also  that  glorious  hope 
and  promise  of  the  Master  that  we  shall 
have  the  privilege  of  dwelling  with  him 
and  his  father — his  literal  Father  and 
the  Father  of  our  spirits  eternally. 

Yes,  this  is  a  gospel  of  salvation — sal- 
vation from  the  clutches  of  Satan, 
salvation  from  the  powers  of  men,  sal- 
vation which  gives  us  strength  to  live 
by  here,  and  a  goal  to  work  toward. 

Brigham  Young  stated  that  the  world 
was  our  circuit.  I  have  not  had  the 
privilege  of  going  around  the  world, 
but  half  of  it  at  least,  and  as  I  say,  I 
have  met  with  hundreds  of  missionaries 
who  are  willing  to  leave  their  homes 
and  their  loved  ones,  their  families, 
their  personal  pursuits,  to  go  out  and 
serve.  I  am  so  grateful  for  this  privi- 
lege to  mingle  with  the  youth,  to  feel 
of  their  spirit,  and  to  give  them  en- 
couragement of  what  their  possibilities 
are  if  they  will  continue  to  follow  truth. 

I  bring  many  greetings  to  all  friends 
and  loved  ones  from  missionaries  I 
have  visited  within  the  last  six  weeks  in 
New  Zealand,  in  Tahiti,  and  in  Samoa. 

These  missionaries  are  willing  to 
teach  the  world  that  this  is  the  gospel 
of  truth,  the  gospel  of  salvation  and 
exaltation,  for  the  world  is  our  circuit, 
just  as  Brigham  Young  said,  and  it  ap- 
plies more  than  ever  today. 

"And  this  gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall 
be  preached  in  all  the  world  .  .  .  and 
then  shall  the  end  come."  (Matt. 
24:14.) 

This  gospel  of  the  kingdom  is  truly 
going  forth  to  all  mankind.  Some  na- 
tions today  do  not  allow  our  mission- 
aries to  come  in,  but  that  is  not  the 
fault  of  the  prophet  of  the  Lord,  Presi- 
dent David  O.  McKay,  who  has  the 
vision  and  the  inspiration  to  guide  and 


26  GENERAL  C 

Friday,  September  29 

direct  this  great  missionary  labor.  All 
who  heard  President  McKay  this  morn- 
ing in  his  stirring  appeal  for  all  to 
accept  and  follow  truth  must  be  im- 
pressed with  the  sincerity  of  his  message. 
However,  in  many  nations  the  gospel 
is  being  preached. 

So  I  pray  that  each  one  of  us  may  be 
missionaries  in  very  deed,  living  and 
teaching  by  that  power  of  example  and 
then  following  the  exhortations  that 
have  been  given  to  us  in  these  sessions 
to  read  and  study  the  scriptures  and  be 
so  advised  that  we  will  be  able  to  teach 
others  by  the  spirit  that  they  may  feel 
it,  receiving  the  same  witness,  or  a  like 
witness  that  we  have.  I  bear  you  my 
testimony  that  these  things  are  true  and 
pray  for  his  blessings  upon  us  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 


First  Day 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

He  to  whom  we  have  just  listened  is 
Elder  John  Longden,  Assistant  to  the 
Twelve. 

The  Relief  Society  Singing  Mothers 
and  congregation  will  now  join  in  sing- 
ing, "We  Thank  Thee,  O  God,  For  a 
Prophet."  Elder  Eldred  G.  Smith  will 
follow  the  singing. 


The  congregation  and  the  Singing 
Mothers  Chorus  joined  in  singing  the 
hymn,  "We  Thank  Thee,  O  God,  For 
A  Prophet." 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  Eldred  G.  Smith,  Patriarch  to 
the  Church,  will  now  address  us.  Elder 
Antoine  R.  Ivins  will  follow. 


ELDER  ELDRED  G.  SMITH 

Patriarch  to  the  Church 


I  appreciate  the  honor  of  this  position, 
but  as  other  speakers  have  said,  it  does 
not  become  easier.  I  see  so  many  in 
the  audience  who  could  do  much  better 
than  I,  yet  inasmuch  as  I  am  called  to 
take  this  position,  I  pray  the  Lord's 
blessings  will  be  with  me. 

We  have  heard  considerable  about 
having  faith  in  the  gospel,  living  the 
teachings  of  the  gospel.  In  the  School 
of  the  Elders  in  Kirtland,  Ohio,  the 
Prophet  Joseph  Smith  stated  that  there 
are  certain  fundamental  principles  nec- 
essary for  us  to  understand  respecting 
Deity  and  our  relation  to  him.  In  order 
that  we  may  exercise  faith  in  him  for 
life  and  salvation,  we  must  have  correct 
ideas  of  his  character,  his  perfection  and 
attributes.  The  Prophet  listed  such 
attributes  as  knowledge,  power,  justice, 
judgment,  mercy,  and  truth. 

These  attributes  are  necessary  to  en- 
able any  rational  being  to  exercise  faith 
in  God,  for  without  the  idea  of  the 
existence  of  these  attributes  in  the  Deity, 
men  could  not  exercise  faith  in  him  for 
life  and  salvation.  Without  the  knowl- 
edge of  all  things,  God  would  not  be 
able  to  save  any  part  of  his  creatures; 
for  it  is  by  reason  of  the  knowledge  of 


all  things  from  the  beginning  to  the 
end  that  enables  him  to  give  that  un- 
derstanding to  his  creatures  by  which 
they  are  made  partakers  of  eternal  life. 

If  it  were  not  for  the  idea  existing  in 
the  minds  of  men  that  God  has  all 
knowledge,  it  would  be  impossible  for 
them  to  exercise  faith  in  him. 

Whom  do  you  worship?  Do  you 
worship  a  Living  God  or  an  unknown 
God,  as  the  Athenians  did? 

On  Mars'  hill,  Paul  said  to  the 
Athenians:  ".  .  .  Ye  men  of  Athens,  I 
perceive  that  in  all  things  ye  are  too 
superstitious. 

"For  as  I  passed  by,  and  beheld  your 
devotions,  I  found  an  altar  with  this 
inscription,  To  the  Unknown  God. 
Whom  therefore  ye  ignorantly  worship, 
him  declare  I  unto  you. 

"God  that  made  the  world  and  all 
things  therein,  seeing  that  he  is  Lord 
of  heaven  and  earth,  dwelleth  not  in 
temples  made  with  hands; 

"Neither  is  worshipped  with  men's 
hands,  as  though  he  needed  any  thing, 
seeing  he  giveth  to  all  life,  and  breath, 
and  all  things; 

"And  hath  made  of  one  blood  all 
nations  of  men  for  to  dwell  on  all  the 


ELDER  ELDRED  G.  SMITH 


27 


face  of  the  earth,  and  hath  determined 
the  times  before  appointed,  and  the 
bounds  of  their  habitation; 

"That  they  should  seek  the  Lord,  if 
haply  they  might  feel  after  him,  and 
find  him,  though  he  be  not  far  from 
every  one  of  us: 

"For  in  him  we  live,  and  move,  and 
have  our  being;  as  certain  also  of  your 
own  poets  have  said,  For  we  are  also 
his  offspring. 

"Forasmuch  then  as  we  are  the  off- 
spring of  God,  we  ought  not  to  think 
that  the  Godhead  is  like  unto  gold,  or 
silver,  or  stone,  graven  by  art,  and 
man's  device."    (Acts  17:22-29.) 

Paul  tells  us  here  that  we  are  the  off- 
spring of  God.  Later  in  his  epistle  to 
the  Hebrews  he  tells  us,  "Furthermore 
we  have  had  fathers  of  our  flesh  which 
corrected  us,  and  we  gave  them  rever- 
ence: shall  we  not  much  rather  be  in 
subjection  unto  the  Father  of  spirits, 
and  live?"  (Heb.  12:9.)  So  we  are  the 
spirit  children  of  God. 

In  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants,  the 
Lord  tells  us: 

"The  Father  has  a  body  of  flesh  and 
bones  as  tangible  as  man's;  the  Son 
also."  (D&C  130:22.) 

Now  John  says,  "God  is  a  Spirit:  and 
they  that  worship  him  must  worship 
him  in  spirit  and  in  truth."  (John  4:24.) 

Man  is  also  a  spirit  clothed  with  flesh 
and  bones,  so,  too,  is  God.  Again  the 
Lord  has  said  in  modern  revelation, 
"For  man  is  spirit.  The  elements  are 
eternal,  and  spirit  and  element,  in- 
separably connected,  receive  a  fulness 
of  joy."'  (D&C  93:33.)  Birth  is  the 
uniting  of  this  spirit  and  elements  of 
physical  bodies.  Death  is  the  separa- 
tion. The  resurrection  is  the  reuniting 
of  the  spirit  and  the  physical  body, 
which  the  Lord  says,  "inseparably  con- 
nected, receive  a  fulness  of  joy." 

So  Moses  recorded  in  Genesis:  "So 
God  created  man  in  his  own  image,  in 
the  image  of  God  created  he  him;  male 
and  female  created  he  them."  (Gen. 
1:27.) 

I  ask — whom  do  you  worship?  Whom 
do  I  worship?  I  worship  my  God  who 
is  my  Father  in  heaven,  the  Father  of 
my  spirit,  a  resurrected,  glorified,  per- 
fected man,  not  resurrected  from  this 


earth,  no,  but  from  some  previous  earth 
in  the  long  distant  past. 

How  do  I  know  he  is  a  resurrected 
man?  If  he  is  not,  I  have  no  hope  in 
the  resurrection.  Neither  then  is  Christ 
resurrected,  nor  others.  Then,  too,  are 
all  the  scriptures  false  which  are  replete 
with  references  to  resurrected  beings 
who  have  appeared  to  man? 

For  example,  as  recorded  in  Matthew: 
"And  the  graves  were  opened;  and  many 
bodies  of  the  saints  which  slept  arose, 

"And  came  out  of  the  graves  after  his 
resurrection,  and  went  into  the  holy 
city,  and  appeared  unto  many."  (Matt. 
27:52-53.) 

As  sure  as  Jesus  Christ  is  resurrected, 
so  may  I  have  a  hope  in  a  resurrection. 
If  men  may  be  resurrected  and  God  is 
not,  then  man  will  have  accomplished 
what  God  has  not  and  thus  become 
greater  than  God.  This  we  know  is 
impossible.  Hence  what  men  may  ac- 
complish, God  has  accomplished  ahead 
of  him. 

Then  the  fact  that  you  are  now  a 
mortal  on  this  earth  is  proof  that  God, 
too,  at  one  time  in  the  far  distant  past, 
has  gone  through  a  life  of  mortality 
ahead  of  you.  Hence  God  is  a  resur- 
rected, glorified  man. 

Whom  do  you  worship?  I  worship 
the  Living  God,  my  Father  in  heaven, 
the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob, 
the  God  of  this  world.  I  invite  all 
honest  in  heart  everywhere  to  join  with 
the  faithful  Latter-day  Saints  in  wor- 
shipping our  Father  in  heaven.  I  know 
that  God  lives  and  Jesus  Christ  is  his 
Son,  begotten  of  the  Father  in  the 
flesh.  It  is  he  who  stands  at  the  head 
of  this  Church,  with  President  David 
O.  McKay  as  his  prophet  here  today. 

May  God  bless  him  and  his  associates 
in  this  great  work  and  bless  all  you 
good  people  who  endeavor  to  keep  the 
commandments  of  God,  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  Eldred  G.  Smith,  Patriarch  to 
the  Church,  has  just  spoken  to  us.  We 
shall  now  hear  from  Elder  Antoine  R. 
Ivins  of  the  First  Council  of  Seventy. 
He  will  be  followed  by  Elder  Spencer 
W.  Kimball. 


28 

Friday,  September  29 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 

ELDER  ANTOINE  R.  IVINS 

Of  the  First  Council  of  the  Seventy 


First  Day 


My  brethren  and  sisters,  it  is  only  the 
fact  that  I  have  discovered  that  there 
is  a  great  spirit  of  love  and  sympathy  in 
this  gathering,  that  I  have  the  confi- 
dence to  stand  before  you  this  after- 
noon and  bear  my  testimony,  but  it  is 
no  easier  than  it  was  thirty  years  ago 
in  October  when  I  first  did  it. 

Brother  Longden,  you  need  not  bragl 

Sixty  times,  my  brethren  and  sisters, 
I  have  pledged  to  you  my  service — an 
honest  service  as  far  as  it  lay  within  my 
power,  and  I  hope  that  God  has  blessed 
my  efforts  that  somewhere  along  the 
line,  someone  may  have  been  encour- 
aged and  comforted,  for  that  is  our 
sole  purpose. 

I  find  myself  following  the  Patriarch 
to  the  Church  as  a  speaker,  and  it  re- 
minds me  that  when  I  was  a  teenager, 
about  sixty-two  years  ago,  I  went  to  a 
patriarch  to  have  a  blessing,  and  it 
was  a  very  fine  blessing.  Mind  you,  at 
that  time  I  was  living  in  Mexico  with 
the  possibility  that  upon  obtaining  my 
majority,  I  could  become  a  Mexican 
citizen.  Some  of  the  promises  in  that 
blessing  would  depend  upon  my  remain- 
ing there  and  becoming  a  citizen.  That 
I  did  not  want  to  do.  So  when  these 
promises  have  not  been  realized,  I  have 
never  blamed  the  patriarch.  I  looked 
upon  that  blessing,  brethren  and  sisters, 
as  a  vision  of  what  I  might  do  if  I  would 
seek  the  blessings  of  the  Lord,  live  true 
to  the  covenants  that  I  had  made,  and 
endeavor  to  realize  those  blessings. 

I  think  that  all  of  the  blessings  that 
are  promised  to  us  throughout  the 
Church  are  dependent  upon  our  efforts 
to  help  them  come  to  pass.  I  never 
have  felt  that  a  patriarchal  blessing  was 
a  prediction  as  to  what  must  come  to 
pass,  but  what  might  come  to  pass  if 
we  would  help  conditions  so  that  those 
things  could  be  realized. 

Many  of  those  things  I  have  tried  to  do, 
but  I  just  did  not  want  to  be  a  Mexican 
citizen,  and  I  did  not  want  to  be  a  Mexi- 
can statesman.  So  I  am  not  holding 
Patriarch  Stowell  responsible  for  the 
failure.  It  has  not  been  his  fault, 
brethren  and  sisters,  perhaps  it  has  been 


mine,  and  perhaps  I  am  wholly  respon- 
sible for  it.  At  any  rate  I  am  happy 
that  it  has  not  come  to  pass  yet. 

Now,  I  wonder  if  some  of  us  have 
the  right  attitude  toward  the  promises 
that  are  made  to  us  by  patriarchs  and 
other  people  who  bless  us.  I  have  had 
blessings  given  me  by  the  President  of 
the  Twelve  and  the  President  of  the 
Church  and  other  people,  and  I  have 
felt  always  that  it  was  an  indication  of 
what  the  brother  who  gave  me  the 
blessing  felt  might  be  realized  if  it 
pleased  God  and  if  I  earned  it.  Maybe 
I  am  not  right,  but  that  is  the  way  I 
feel  about  it. 

There  is  another  point  that  this  brings 
to  my  mind — it  is  seventy-two  years 
since  I  was  baptized  and  confirmed. 
In  that  baptism  and  confirmation  there 
is  another  promise  made  to  me,  and  it 
is  just  as  possible  as  the  patriarchal 
blessing.  It  is  based  upon  the  same 
life  of  service,  that  if  I  will  live  true 
to  the  implied  covenants  that  there  are 
in  the  waters  of  baptism  and  confirma- 
tion, that  I  can  eventually  work  my  way 
back  into  the  presence  of  God,  our 
Heavenly  Father,  and  be  exalted  there. 
I  am  thinking  that  some  of  us  do  not 
remember  that  and  do  not  worry  too 
much  about  it. 

Then  my  problem  is  to  learn  how  to 
do  it,  brethren  and  sisters,  and  learning 
how  to  do  it  to  make  up  my  mind  that 
I  want  to  do  it,  and  making  up  my  mind 
that  I  want  to,  that  I  start  about  doing  it. 

I  have  a  relative  by  marriage  who  had 
a  little  difficulty  with  one  of  his  habits 
one  time — one  that  so  many  people 
suffer  with,  and  he  said,  "Antoine,  the 
day  I  made  up  my  mind  that  I  wanted 
to  quit  it,  I  was  through.  From  that 
time  on,  Antoine,  I  never  had  to  struggle 
with  it  because  I  made  up  my  mind 
that  I  wanted  to  quit."  That  is  one  of 
our  major  problems,  brethren  and 
sisters,  to  find  the  way  back  into  the 
celestial  glory  in  the  kingdom  of  God 
and,  finding  it,  make  sure  that  we 
follow  it. 

The  way  to  find  out  what  the  gospel 
means  and  the  privileges  that  it  holds 


ELDER  SPENCER  W.  KIMBALL 


29 


for  us  is  to  study  the  scriptures.  We 
have  been  told  about  that  today,  to  study 
the  scriptures  and  to  follow  the  program 
of  the  Church,  brothers  and  sisters,  and 
there  are  a  lot  of  us  that  are  very 
sluggish  in  following  the  program  of  the 
Church.  If  you  do  not  believe  it,  fol- 
low me  around  the  next  little  while 
and  see  how  many  of  our  members  of 
the  Melchizedek  Priesthood  are  up  to 
date  in  reading  the  Book  of  Mormon. 
Brothers  and  sisters,  we  are  just  not 
there,  we  are  sluggish  in  doing  the 
things  we  know  we  ought  to  do  and  in 
studying  to  find  out  what  pleases  God 
our  Heavenly  Father  as  to  the  way  we 
should  live. 

I  believe  that  the  best  place  where 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  is  set  out  for 
us  to  follow  is  in  the  Book  of  Mormon. 
I  have  reread  it  this  year,  so  I  dare  talk 
to  you,  but  where  can  you  find  in  all  of 
our  scriptures  a  more  complete  and 
clearer  and  more  concise  statement  of 
the  way  back  into  the  kingdom  of  God 
than  you  find  in  the  Book  of  Mormon. 

Of  course,  we  like  to  read  the  Bible, 
we  like  to  read  other  works,  and  I  am 
never  quite  satisfied  until  I  join  the 
Doctrine  and  Covenants  under  the  same 
cover  with  the  Book  of  Mormon,  and 
then  we  have  joined  the  Pearl  of  Great 
Price  to  them,  so  we  have  the  triple 
combination.  Brethren  and  sisters,  I 
suggest  that  we  do  not  stop  when  we 
read  the  Book  of  Mormon,  but  that  we 
go  right  through  from  cover  to  cover  of 
that  triple  combination  and  try  to  re- 
member what  is  in  it  and  then  make 
up  our  minds  we  want  to  do  it,  for 
that  is  the  thing. 

You  cannot  do  that,  brethren  and 
sisters,  without  gaining  a  testimony  of 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  testimony 
is  necessary.  It  is  absolutely  the  essential 


factor  in  our  determination  to  do  these 
things,  because  some  of  the  things  we 
have  to  refrain  from  doing  are  pretty 
natural  for  us,  and  if  we  do  not  have 
something  to  guide  us  and  to  give  us 
incentive  to  bridle  our  passions  (and 
that  is  testimony)  we  are  not  so  likely 
to  do  it  as  well  as  we  might. 

So  testimony  is  what  we  seek  in  this, 
brethren  and  sisters. 

Then  Brother  Marion  D.  Hanks  told 
us  that  we  should  live  in  these  troublous 
times  without  fear.  And  what  is  it  that 
makes  one  fearless?  The  testimony  of 
Jesus  Christl 

Sister  Ivins  and  I  and  the  mission 
president  one  time  held  a  meeting  in 
a  little  town  north  of  Mexico  City 
where  a  few  years  before  two  young 
men  had  been  arrested  and  had  been 
promised  their  lives  if  they  would  deny 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  Those  two 
boys  stood  up  beside  an  adobe  wall  and 
were  killed  by  gunfire,  doing  it  without 
fear  because  they  knew  the  future  which 
comes  from  testimony  as  well  as  any 
of  us. 

Brethren  and  sisters,  that  is  our  great 
problem.  Can  we  get  a  testimony?  We 
get  it  by  prayer  and  study,  but  more 
especially  after  prayer  and  study,  we 
get  it  by  doing  the  things  God  tells  us 
to  do  and  making  our  lives  conform  to 
them.  May  he  help  us  to  do  these 
things,  I  pray  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ,  our  Redeemer,  adding  my  testi- 
mony to  the  others.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  Antoine  R.  Ivins  of  the  First 
Council  of  Seventy  has  just  spoken  to  us. 
We  shall  now  hear  from  Elder  Spencer 
W.  Kimball  of  the  Council  of  the 
Twelve. 


ELDER  SPENCER  W.  KIMBALL 

Of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


My  beloved  brothers  and  sisters,  I  hope 
that  of  the  estimated  million  who  may 
have  been  listening  this  morning,  there 
may  have  been  many  among  them  who 
might  have  been  kings  and  their  courts, 
presidents  and  their  cabinets,  prime 


ministers  and  their  associates,  editors, 
commanders  of  armies  and  navies  and 
air  forces,  and  all  others  in  the  world, 
particularly  our  fellow  men  of  the 
Americas  from  Tierra  del  Fuego  to  Point 
Barrow — for  the  prophet  of  the  Lord 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


30 

Friday,  September  29 

spoke  in  stirring  tones  of  warning  to  all 
the  people  of  this  world. 

Our  world  is  in  turmoil.  It  is  aging 
toward  senility.  It  is  very  ill.  Long  ago 
it  was  born  with  brilliant  prospects.  It 
was  baptized  by  water,  and  its  sins  were 
washed  away.  It  was  never  baptized 
by  fire,  for  that  is  still  to  come.  It  has 
had  shorter  periods  of  good  health,  but 
longer  ones  of  ailing.  Most  of  the  time 
there  have  been  pains  and  aches  in  some 
parts  of  its  anatomy,  but  now  that  it  is 
growing  old,  complications  have  set  in, 
and  all  the  ailments  seem  to  be 
everywhere. 

The  world  has  been  "cliniced,"  and 
the  complex  diseases  have  been  cata- 
logued. The  physicians  have  had 
summit  consultations,  and  temporary 
salve  has  been  rubbed  on  afflicted  parts, 
but  it  has  only  postponed  the  fatal  day 
and  never  cured  it.  It  seems  that  while 
remedies  have  been  applied,  staph  infec- 
tion has  set  in,  and  the  patient's  suffer- 
ing intensified.  His  mind  is  wandering. 
It  cannot  remember  its  previous  illnesses 
nor  the  cure  which  was  applied.  The 
political  physicians  through  the  ages 
have  rejected  suggested  remedies  as  un- 
professional since  they  came  from  lowly 
prophets.  Man  being  what  he  is  with 
tendencies  such  as  he  has,  results  can 
be  prognosticated  with  some  degree  of 
accuracy. 

In  an  ancient  situation  somewhat 
comparable  to  our  own,  there  was  a 
great  destruction,  and  when  the  quiet 
came,  those  who  were  spared  were 
wailing: 

".  .  .  O  that  we  had  repented  before 
this  great  and  terrible  day,  and  then 
would  our  brethren  have  been  spared 
.  .  .  and  our  mothers  and  our  fair 
daughters,  and  our  children  .  .  .  not 
have  been  buried.  .  .  ."  (3  Nephi  8:24- 
25.) 

Today  is  another  day,  but  history 
repeats  itself.  We  read  the  headlines. 
The  great  powers  warn  and  threaten. 
Bombs  are  detonated.  Terror  is  sub- 
stituted for  reason.  Defense  stockpiles 
increase.  Nuclear  races  get  swifter.  The 
radios  whine.  The  newspapers  carry 
glaring  headlines,  politicians  wrangle, 
students  and  authorities  harangue. 
Everybody  expresses  opinions,  but  few 
approach  the  real  cause  or  the  real  cure. 


Firs!  Day 

What  is  the  illness?  Its  symptoms  are 
manifested  in  every  corner  of  the  globe. 
They  are  found  among  men  in  high 
places,  in  hut  and  mansion.  Its 
symptoms  are  carelessness,  casualness, 
covetousness,  slothfulness,  selfishness, 
dishonesty,  disobedience,  immorality, 
uncleanness,  unfaithfulness,  ungodliness. 

Our  national  and  international  au- 
thorities should  know  that  men  have 
".  .  .  been  destroyed  from  generation  to 
generation  according  to  their  iniquities; 
and  never  hath  any  of  them  been  de- 
stroyed save  it  were  foretold  them  by 
the  prophets  of  the  Lord."  (2  Nephi 
25:9.)  And  modern  prophets  are  warn- 
ing frequently,  constantly.  People  are 
destroyed  by  their  own  acts. 

"There  is  one  principle,"  a  modern 
prophet  said,  "(that  we  should)  under- 
stand:— that  is  of  blessings  and  cursings. 
For  instance,  we  read  that  war,  pesti- 
lence, plagues,  famine,  etc.,  will  be 
visited  upon  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth,  but  if  distress  through  the  judg- 
ments of  God  comes  upon  this  people, 
it  will  be  because  the  majority  have 
turned  away  from  the  Lord." 

The  world's  living  prophet  has  warned 
and  pleaded  that  the  people  return  to 
God,  who  has  said  again:  "I,  the  Lord, 
am  bound  when  ye  do  what  I  say;  but 
when  ye  do  not  what  I  say,  ye  have  no 
promise."  (D&C  82:10.) 

This  America  is  no  ordinary  country. 
It  is  a  choice  land,  "choice  above  all  other 
lands."  (1  Nephi  2:20.)  It  has  a  tragic 
and  bloody  past,  but  a  glorious  and 
peaceful  future  if  its  inhabitants  really 
learn  to  serve  their  God.  It  was  conse- 
crated as  a  land  of  promise  to  the  people 
of  the  Americas,  to  whom  God  gave 
these  great  promises: 

"It  will  be  a  land  of  liberty  to  its 
people."  (2  Nephi  1:7.) 

"They  shall  never  be  brought  down 
into  captivity."  (Idem.) 

"And  there  shall  be  none  to  molest 
them."  (Ibid.,  1:9.) 

"It  is  a  land  of  promise."  (1  Nephi 
2:20.) 

"It  shall  be  free  from  all  nations 
under  heaven." 

"There  shall  be  no  enemies  come  into 
this  land." 

"It  shall  be  free  from  bondage." 
(Ether  2:12.) 


ELDER  SPENCER  W.  KIMBALL 


31 


"There  shall  be  no  kings  upon  the 
land."  (2  Nephi  10:11.) 

"I  will  fortify  this  land  against  all 
other  nations."  (Ibid.,  10:12.) 

"He  that  fighteth  against  Zion  shall 
perish."  (Ibid.,  10:13.) 

But  these  promises,  glorious  though 
they  be,  desirable  as  they  are,  can  come 
only  ".  .  .  if  they  will  but  serve  the  God 
of  this  land  who  is  Jesus  Christ.  .  .  ." 
(Ether  2:12.)  There  is  only  one  way. 
That  infallible  cure  is  simply  righteous- 
ness, obedience,  Godliness,  honor,  and 
integrity.  There  is  no  other  cure. 
Mountains  of  arms  and  ammunitions 
will  not  guarantee  safety,  for  enemies 
can  also  build  fortifications  and  missiles 
and  bomb  shelters.  If  we  would  but  be- 
lieve the  prophets!  For  they  have  warned 
that  if  the  "inhabitants  of  this  land  are 
ever  brought  down  into  captivity  and 
enslaved,  it  shall  be  because  of  iniquity; 
for  if  iniquity  shall  abound  cursed  shall 
be  the  land."  (See  2  Nephi  1:7.) 

The  prophet  exclaims  again  with 
fervor:  "And  now  we  .  .  .  behold  the 
decrees  of  God  concerning  this  land, 
that  it  is  a  land  of  promise;  and  what- 
soever nation  shall  possess  it  shall  serve 
God,  or  they  shall  be  swept  off  when  the 
fulness  of  his  wrath  shall  come  upon 
them.  And  the  fulness  of  his  wrath 
cometh  upon  them  when  they  are 
ripened  in  iniquity."  (Ether  2:9.) 

O  that  men  would  listen!  Why 
should  there  be  spiritual  blindness  in 
the  day  of  brightest  material  vision? 
Why  must  men  rely  on  fortifications 
and  armaments  when  the  God  of  heaven 
yearns  to  bless  them?  One  stroke  of 
his  omnipotent  hand  could  make  power- 
less all  nations  who  oppose  and  save 
a  world  even  in  its  death  throes. 

Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  is  under  no 
obligation  to  save  this  world.  The  peo- 
ple have  ignored  him,  disbelieved  him, 
failed  to  follow  him.  They  stand  at  his 
mercy  which  will  be  extended  only  if 
they  repent.  But  to  what  extent  have 
we  repented?  Another  prophet  said, 
"We  call  evil  good,  and  good  evil." 
Men  have  rationalized  themselves  into 
thinking  that  they  are  "not  so  bad." 
Are  they  fully  ripe?  Has  the  rot  of  age 
and  flabbiness  set  in?  Can  they  change? 
They  see  evil  in  their  enemies,  but  none 
in    themselves.     Even    in    the  true 


Church  numerous  of  its  people  fail  to 
attend  their  meetings,  to  tithe  their  in- 
comes, to  have  their  regular  prayers, 
to  keep  all  the  commandments.  We  can 
transform,  but  will  we?  It  seems  that 
we  would  rather  tax  ourselves  into 
slavery  than  to  pay  our  tithes;  rather 
build  protections  and  walls  than  drop  to 
our  knees  with  our  families  in  solemn 
prayers  night  and  morning. 

It  seems  that  rather  than  fast  and 
pray,  we  prefer  to  gorge  ourselves  at  the 
banquet  tables  and  drink  cocktails.  In- 
stead of  disciplining  ourselves,  we  yield 
to  urges  and  carnal  desires.  Numerous 
billions  we  spend  on  liquor  and  tobacco. 
A  Sabbath  show  or  a  game  or  a  race 
replaces  solemn  worship.  Numerous 
mothers  prefer  the  added  luxuries  of  two 
incomes  to  the  satisfactions  of  seeing 
children  grow  up  in  the  fear  of  God. 
Men  golf  and  boat  and  hunt  and  fish 
rather  than  to  solemnize  the  Sabbath. 
Old  man  rationalization  is  with  us.  Be- 
cause we  are  not  vicious  enough  to  be 
confined  in  penitentiaries,  we  rational- 
ize that  we  are  pretty  good  people;  that 
we  are  not  doing  so  badly.  The  masses 
of  the  people  are  much  like  those  who 
escaped  destruction  in  the  ancient  days 
of  this  continent.  The  Lord  said  to 
them: 

"O  all  ye  that  are  spared  because  ye 
were  more  righteous  than  they  [the 
slain  ones],  will  ye  not  now  return  unto 
me,  and  repent  of  your  sins,  and  be 
converted,  that  I  may  heal  you?"  (3 
Nephi  9:13.) 

The  Great  Wall  of  China  with  its 
1,500  miles  of  unbreakable  walls,  with 
its  twenty-five  feet  high  impregnable- 
ness,  with  its  innumerable  watchman 
towers,  was  breached  by  the  treachery 
of  men. 

The  Maginot  Line  in  France,  these 
forts  thought  to  be  so  strong  and  im- 
passable, were  violated  as  though  they 
were  not  there.  Strength  is  not  in  con- 
crete and  re-inforcing  steel.  Protection 
is  not  in  walls  nor  mountains  nor  cliffs, 
yet  foolish  men  still  lean  on  "the  arm  of 
flesh." 

The  walls  of  Babylon  were  too  high 
to  be  scaled,  too  thick  to  be  broken,  too 
strong  to  be  crumbled,  but  not  too  deep 
to  be  undermined  when  the  human 
element  failed.    When  the  protectors 


32 

Friday,  September  29 

sleep  and  the  leaders  are  incapacitated 
with  banqueting  and  drunkenness  and 
immorality,  an  invading  enemy  can  turn 
a  river  from  its  course  and  enter 
through  a  river  bed. 

The  precipitous  walls  on  the  high 
hills  of  Jerusalem  deflected  for  a  time 
the  arrows  and  spears  of  enemies,  the 
catapults  and  firebrands.  But  even  then 
wickedness  did  not  lessen,  men  did 
not  learn  lessons.  Hunger  scaled  the 
walls;  thirst  broke  down  the  gates;  im- 
morality, cannibalism,  idolatry,  godless- 
ness  stalked  about  till  destruction  came. 

"Experience  is  a  dear  teacher  but  fools 
will  learn  by  no  other."  But  we  con- 
tinue on  in  our  godlessness.  While  the 
iron  curtains  rise  and  thicken,  we  eat, 
drink,  and  make  merry.  While  armies 
are  marshalled  and  march  and  drill 
and  officers  teach  men  how  to  kill,  we 
continue  to  drink  and  carouse  as  usual. 
While  bombs  are  detonated  and  tested, 
and  fallout  settles  on  the  already  sick 
world,  we  continue  in  idolatry  and 
adultery.  While  corridors  are  threatened 
and  concessions  are  made,  we  live 
riotously  and  divorce  and  marry  in 
cycles  like  the  seasons.  While  leaders 
quarrel,  and  editors  write,  and  authori- 
ties analyze  and  prognosticate,  we  break 
the  Sabbath  as  though  no  command 
had  ever  been  given.  While  enemies 
filter  into  our  nation  to  subvert  us  and 
intimidate  us  and  soften  us,  we  continue 
with  our  destructive  thinking:  "It  can't 
happen  here." 

Will  we  ever  turn  wholly  to  God? 
Fear  envelops  the  world  which  could 
be  at  ease  and  peace.  In  God  is  protec- 
tion, safety,  peace.  He  has  said,  "I  will 
fight  your  battles."  But  his  commitment 
is  on  condition  of  our  faithfulness.  He 
promised  to  the  children  of  Israel: 

"I  will  give  you  rain  in  due  season," 

The  land  shall  yield  her  increase  and 
trees  their  fruit. 

Granaries  and  barns  will  bulge  in 
seed  time  and  harvest. 

Ye  shall  eat  your  bread  in  abundance. 

Ye  shall  dwell  in  your  land  safely  and 
none  shall  make  you  afraid. 

Neither  shall  the  sword  go  through 
your  land. 

And  five  of  you  shall  chase  an  hun- 
dred, and  an  hundred  of  you  shall  put 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


First  Day 

ten  thousand  to  flight:  .  .  .  (See  Leviti- 
cus 26:4-6,  8.) 

But  if  you  fail  to  serve  me: 

The  land  will  be  barren,  (perhaps 
radioactive  or  dry  from  drought.) 

The  trees  will  be  without  fruit  and 
the  fields  without  verdure. 

There  will  be  rationing  and  a  scarcity 
of  food  and  hunger  sore. 

No  traffic  will  jam  your  desolate 
highways. 

Famine  will  stalk  rudely  through  your 
doors  and  the  ogre  cannibalism  will 
rob  you  of  your  children  and  your  re- 
maining virtues. 

There  will  be  pestilence  uncontroll- 
able. 

Your  dead  bodies  will  be  piled  upon 
the  materialistic  things  you  sought  so 
hard  to  accumulate  and  save. 

I  will  give  no  protection  against 
enemies. 

They  that  hate  you  shall  reign  over 
you. 

There  will  be  faintness  of  heart  "and 
the  sound  of  a  shaken  leaf'  shall  chase 
you  into  flight  and  you  will  fall  when 
none  pursueth. 

Your  power — your  supremacy — your 
pride  in  superiority — will  be  broken. 

Your  heaven  shall  be  as  iron  and  your 
earth  as  brass.  Heaven  will  not  hear 
your  pleadings  nor  earth  bring  forth 
her  harvest. 

Your  strength  will  be  spent  in  vain 
as  you  plow  and  plant  and  cultivate. 

Your  cities  will  be  shambles,  your 
churches  in  ruins. 

Your  enemies  will  be  astonished  at  the 
barrenness,  sterility,  desolation  of  the 
land  they  had  been  told  was  so  choice, 
so  beautiful,  so  fruitful. 

Then  shall  the  land  enjoy  her  Sab- 
baths under  compulsion. 

And  ye  shall  have  no  power  to  stand 
before  your  enemies. 

And  your  people  will  be  scattered 
among  the  nations  as  slaves  and  bonds- 
men. 

You  will  pay  tribute  and  bondage  and 
fetters  shall  bind  you.  (See  Ibid., 
26:14-43.) 

What  a  bleak  prediction!  Yet  "These 
are  the  statutes  and  judgments  and 
laws,  which  the  Lord  made  between 
him  and  the  children  of  Israel  in  Mt. 
Sinai  by  the  hand  of  Moses."  (Ibid., 


ELDER  SPENCER  W.  KIMBALL 


33 


26:46.)  The  Israelites  failed  to  heed 
the  warning.  They  ignored  the  proph- 
ets. They  suffered  the  fulfillment  of 
every  dire  prophecy. 

Do  we  twentieth  century  people  have 
reason  to  think  that  we  can  be  immune 
from  the  same  tragic  consequences  when 
we  ignore  the  same  divine  laws? 

With  such  innumerable  blessings  as 
are  available  to  godly  people  of  this 
land,  how  can  any  sane  one  continue  in 
his  careless  patterns  of  life? 

There  is  a  cure  for  the  earth's  illness, 
an  infallible  one. 

War  clouds  gather,  fear  heightens; 
tenseness  increases,  yet  there  need  be 
no  fear  and  worry  and  sleepless  nights. 

Our  God  rules  in  the  heavens.  He 
lives.  He  loves.  He  desires  the  happi- 
ness and  well  being  of  all  his  children. 
He  has  a  prophet  on  the  earth  today 
who  receives  his  revelations.  He  is 
a  prophet  to  all  the  world.  He  has  on 
numerous  occasions  outlined  the  cure 
for  all  international  as  well  as  local 
ills.  The  diagnosis  is  sure,  and  the 
remedy  certain.  Today's  prophet  stands 
in  the  same  position  between  God  and 
the  people  as  did  Isaiah,  Samuel,  and 
even  Moses  who  gave  to  the  world  the 
ten  commandments. 

But  a  controlling  majority  of  the 
people  of  this  world  have  relegated  them 
to  the  past. 

"Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  be- 
fore me."  (Exodus  20:3.  Italics  added.) 
Yet  today  we  worship  the  gods  of  wood 
and  stone  and  metal.  Not  always  are 
they  in  the  form  of  a  golden  calf,  but 
equally  real  as  objects  of  protection  and 
worship.  They  are  houses,  lands,  bank 
accounts,  leisure.  They  are  boats,  cars, 
and  luxuries.  They  are  bombs  and 
ships  and  armaments.  We  bow  down 
to  the  god  of  mammon,  the  god  of 
luxuries,  the  god  of  dissipation. 

"Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the 
Lord  thy  God  in  vain;  .  .  ."  (Ibid.,  20:7. 
Italics  added.)  Yet  on  the  corner,  in 
public  places,  on  work  projects,  at  ban- 
quet tables,  there  come  ringing  into 
our  ears  the  sacred  names  of  Deity 
without  solemnity. 

"Remember  the  sabbath  day,  to  keep 
it  holy."  (Ibid.,  20:8.  Italics  added.) 
Yet  work  goes  on,  merchandise  is  sold, 
athletic  entertainments,  fishing,  hunt- 


ing go  forward  without  regard  to  com- 
mandments. Conventions,  unnecessary 
travel,  family  picnics,  the  Sabbath  is 
violated  generally.  A  relatively  few  peo- 
ple attend  their  church  services,  pay 
their  tithing,  serve  their  fellow  men. 
Few  live  up  to  the  truth  they  know. 
The  taverns  are  full,  the  beaches 
crowded,  the  grandstands  packed,  man 
servants,  and  maid  servants  hired  to 
duty,  the  ski  lifts  busy,  canyon  picnic 
tables  loaded.  Scriptures  are  read  little, 
and  the  holy  day  becomes  a  holiday. 

"Six  days  shalt  thou  labour,  .  .  ." 
(Ibid.,  20:9.  Italics  added.)  Yet  ever- 
increasing  hours  of  leisure  provide  ever 
increasing  opportunities  for  Sabbath 
breaking  and  commandment  ignoring, 
and  strikes  and  lobbying  go  on  to  in- 
crease damaging  leisure  and  decrease 
work  hours  further. 

"Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery." 
(Ibid.,  20:14.  Italics  added.)  Yet  this 
common  sin  and  idolatry  run  hand  in 
hand.  Free  love  and  indiscretions  and 
deviations  of  every  nature  are  common 
in  our  day.  Illigitimate  births  are  said 
to  reach  as  high  as  one  in  ten,  yet 
promiscuity  far  exceeds  illegitimacy. 
This  ugly  deviation  is  found  among 
youth  and  married  people.  Divorce, 
ever  on  the  increase,  jumping  from  one 
divorce  for  thirty-six  weddings  in  Civil 
War  days  now  has  reached  somewhere 
near  one  to  four.  Flirtations,  rational- 
ized to  be  innocent  ones,  are  the  root 
of  numerous  of  the  divorces  and  other 
ills. 

"Thou  shalt  not  steal."  (Ibid.,  20:15. 
Italics  added.)  Yet  in  high  places  and 
in  low,  in  government  office  and  in 
business,  in  everyday  life,  men  have 
rationalized  until  consciences  seem  to 
have  been  seared  in  the  matter  of  hon- 
esty. Yet  here  are  bribery,  fraud,  deceit, 
theft,  padding  of  expense  accounts,  tax 
evasion,  installment  buying  beyond 
ability  to  pay,  and  gambling  running 
into  the  billions. 

The  outlook  is  bleak,  but  the  impend- 
ing tragedy  can  be  averted.  But  it  can 
be  only  through  a  great  repentance  and 
transformation. 

"What  can  I  do?"  asks  the  fearful 
one.  I  can  transform  my  own  life  till 
it  is  perfected  and  then  influence  others 
when  thus  transformed.    I  am  prepared 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


34 

Friday,  September  29 

to  live  or  die  and  need  not  fear.  The 
righteous  were  saved  in  Enoch's  day, 
and  the  wicked  were  drowned  in  the 
flood.  Other  rebellious  people  were  de- 
stroyed in  the  convulsions  of  the  earth 
in  the  meridian  of  time,  and  they  who 
were  more  righteous  were  saved. 

Concerning  Jerusalem  the  Lord  said: 
"I  will  defend  this  city"  (2  Kings  19:34.) 
when  the  powerful,  invincible  Assyrian 
army  camped  at  the  gates.  That  night 
the  Lord  saved  Jerusalem  from  Sennach- 
erib and  his  185,000  troops  who  did 
not  live  the  night  through  to  attack. 
Three  hundred  soldiers  and  God  and 
Gideon  routed  the  powerful  army  of 
the  Midianites.  The  thirteen  colonies 
gained  a  permanent  victory  over  supe- 
rior forces,  and  America  was  born.  The 
Lord  and  David  slew  Goliath,  and  Israel 
won  many  battles  when  they  were  right- 
eous. God  will  fight  our  battles  if  we 
honor  him  and  serve  him  with  all  our 
hearts,  might,  mind,  and  strength. 

This  I  know,  for  the  Lord  has  so  de- 
clared it  through  the  ages,  and  I  know 
he  lives  and  is  all  powerful. 

The  cause  is  not  lost.  If  race  tracks 
were  closed  on  the  Sabbath,  if  gambling 
ceased,  drinking  eliminated,  work  and 
play  confined  to  week  days;  if  stores 
were  closed  and  all  people  went  to  their 
sanctuaries  truly  to  worship  even  as  best 
they  know;  if  taverns  never  opened,  and 
transgressors  all  repented,  and  broken 
homes  were  mended,  and  children  were 
trained  in  uprightness;  if  families  all 
knelt  in  prayer  night  and  morning,  if 
tithes  were  paid  and  integrity  and  wor- 
ship reigned  in  the  lives  of  men,  the 
era  of  total  peace  would  be  ushered  in. 
Fear  would  vanish,  and  enemies  would 
be  subdued. 

"I  will  fight  your  battles,"  says  the 
Lord  God  Omnipotent.  He  never  fails 
his  promises. 

If  we  are  of  the  masses  who  are  casual, 
passive,  irreligious,  irreverent,  unholy, 
immoral,  ungodly,  then  we  must  "re- 
pent or  suffer." 

Of  course,  a  one-sided  disarmament 
could  be  madness  if  worldliness  and 
materialism  continued,  but  a  serious 
turn  of  the  masses  could  forestall  all 
military  conquests,  all  tragedies  of  con- 
flict.  God  is  all  powerful. 

I   plead  with   men  everywhere  to 


First  Day 

"Come,  listen  to  a  prophet's  voice"  and 
hear  the  word  of  God  from  our  living 
prophet  who  sits  with  us  here  today.  I 
know  he  is  God's  recognized  prophet.  I 
beg  of  you  to  listen  and  act,  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Now  we  shall  hear  the  closing  song 
by  the  Relief  Society  Singing  Mothers. 
We  shall  listen  to  a  song  that  is  being 
sung  by  request.  It  is  one  of  the  songs 
sung  by  the  International  Women's 
Chorus  in  Albert  Hall,  London,  con- 
ducted by  Sister  Florence  Jepperson 
Madsen.    It  is  entitled,  "The  Snow." 

I  remember  well  how  surprised  sev- 
eral titled  ladies  were  who  attended  that 
concert.  Lady  Bennett  expressed  her 
surprise  and  commendation  as  she  lis- 
tened to  Sister  Florence  Jepperson  Mad- 
sen  lead  masterfully  that  great  chorus 
on  that  occasion.  Either  two  or  three 
titled  ladies  came  in  to  the  president 
of  our  Relief  Society  and  joined  in  that 
commendation.  I  am  sure,  sisters,  the 
press  and  all  their  commendation  is  not 
exceeded  by  the  audience  who  listened 
to  you  this  morning  and  this  afternoon. 
All  we  can  say,  Sister  Madsen,  is  "thank 
you."  That's  a  cold  way,  but  all  our 
gratitude  goes  with  that  because  of  our 
love  for  mothers.  In  behalf  of  all  who 
have  listened  to  you  during  the  Relief 
Society  sessions  and  today,  in  behalf  of 
the  General  Authorities  of  the  Church 
and  the  audiences  here  and  listening,  I 
say  "God  bless  you." 

The  general  sessions  tomorrow  will 
be  broadcast  as  a  public  service  over 
television  and  radio  stations  throughout 
the  West.  There  will  be  a  Welfare  Agri- 
cultural Meeting  in  the  Assembly  Hall 
Saturday  morning — tomorrow  morning 
— at  7:30.  Stake  presidencies,  bishop- 
rics, or  their  representatives,  stake  and 
ward  farm  managers  and  committees, 
and  all  others  interested  in  agriculture, 
are  invited  to  attend  this  meeting. 

Presidents  of  temples  will  attend  the 
meeting  tonight  at  6  p.m. 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  are 
listening  in,  the  singing  of  this  session 
has  been  furnished  by  the  Relief  So- 
ciety Singing  Mothers  from  the  Central 
Utah  and  Mt.  Timpanogos  Welfare 
Regions,  under  the  direction  of  Sister 


PRESIDENT  DAVID  O.  McKAY 


35 


Florence  Jepperson  Madsen,  with  Frank 
W.  Asper  at  the  organ. 

We  shall  now  listen  to,  "The  Snow," 
and  the  benediction  will  be  offered  by 
President  John  Clyde  Spencer  of  the 
Garfield  Stake.  Following  the  bene- 
diction this  conference  will  be  ad- 
journed until  ten  o'clock  tomorrow 
morning. 


The  Relief  Society  Singing  Mothers 
sang,  "The  Snow." 

Elder  John  Clyde  Spencer,  president 
of  the  Garfield  Stake,  offered  the  closing 
prayer. 

Conference  adjourned  until  10:00  a.m. 
Saturday,  September  30. 


SECOND  DAY 
MORNING  MEETING 


Saturday  morning,  September  30,  1961. 

Conference  reconvened  at  10:00  a.m. 
in  the  Tabernacle. 

The  University  of  Utah  Mixed  Chorus, 
under  the  direction  of  Ardean  W.  Watts, 
furnished  the  music  for  this  session  of 
the  Conference.  Frank  W.  Asper  was  at 
the  organ. 

President  David  O.  McKay,  who  pre- 
sided and  conducted  the  services,  made 
the  following  opening  remarks: 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

To  this  large  audience  in  the  Taber- 
nacle and  all  who  are  listening  in  by 
radio  and  television  we  extend  wel- 
come to  this  third  session  of  the  One 
Hundred  Thirty-First  Semi-Annual  Con- 
ference of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-day  Saints.  We  have  just 
received  word  that  President  Clark  is 
about  the  same.  There  is  no  change  in 
his  condition.  Other  General  Authori- 
ties are  present,  excepting  Elder  A. 
Theodore  Tuttle,  who  is  supervising  the 
missions  in  South  America,  and  Elder 
Bruce  R.  McConkie  who  is  presiding 
over  the  Southern  Australian  Mission. 

We  acknowledge  the  presence  of,  and 
welcome  our  stake  presidencies,  high 
councilmen,  bishoprics,  temple  presi- 
dencies, and  General  Auxiliaries  of  the 
Church.  We  are  pleased  to  note  the 
attendance  of  the  following  also: 
United  States  Senator  Wallace  F.  Ben- 
nett; Lamont  Toronto,  Secretary  of 
State;  Ernest  L.  Wilkinson,  president  of 
the  Brigham  Young  University;  Dr. 
Homer  Durham,  president  of  Arizona 
State  University;  Dr.  John  L.  Clarke, 
president  of  Ricks  College;  Judge  A. 
Sherman  Christenson,  Associate  Judge 


of  the  Federal  Court;  representatives  of 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  others 
whom  probably  we  have  overlooked, 
but  whom  we  recognize  and  bid  wel- 
come in  the  audience. 

This  session  of  the  Conference  will  be 
broadcast  as  a  public  service  over  tele- 
vision and  radio  stations  throughout  the 
West.  These  services  are  also  being 
broadcast  in  the  Assembly  Hall  and  in 
Barratt  Hall  by  television.  Those  who 
are  standing  in  the  doorways,  if  they 
wish,  may  possibly  find  seats  in  these 
other  halls. 

The  singing  for  this  session  will  be 
furnished  by  the  University  of  Utah 
Mixed  Chorus;  and  this  afternoon  by  the 
University  of  Utah  Institute  of  Religion, 
the  University  Stake  Chorus,  and  the 
Bonneville  Strings.  We  extend  a  hearty 
welcome  to  these  young  people.  It  is 
a  joy  to  have  them  present  today. 

These  services  will  begin  by  the 
University  of  Utah  Mixed  Chorus  sing- 
ing, "Let  Their  Celestial  Concerts  All 
Unite,"  with  Ardean  W.  Watts  con- 
ducting, and  Frank  W.  Asper  at  the 
organ.  The  invocation  will  be  offered 
by  Elder  Eugene  C.  Ludwig,  president 
of  the  Grant  Stake. 

The  University  of  Utah  Mixed  Chorus 
sang  as  an  opening  number,  "Let  Their 
Celestial  Concerts  All  Unite." 

The  opening  prayer  was  offered  by 
President  Eugene  C.  Ludwig  of  the 
Grant  Stake. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

President  Eugene  C.  Ludwig  of  the 
Grant  Stake  just  offered  the  invocation. 
The  University  of  Utah  Mixed  Chorus 


36 

Saturday,  September  30 

will  now  favor  us  with,  "O  Brother 
Man";  composer,  Leroy  J.  Robertson, 
conducted  by  Ardean  W.  Watts. 

Singing  by  the  University  of  Utah 
Mixed  Chorus,  "O  Brother  Man"  (Le- 
Roy  J.  Robertson). 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  Joseph  Anderson,  Clerk  of  the 
Conference,  will  now  read  changes  in 
Church  Officers,  Temple,  Mission, 
Stake,  Ward  and  Branch  Organizations 
since  the  April  Conference,  1961. 

Elder  Joseph  Anderson,  Clerk  of  the 
Conference,  then  read  statistical  data: 

CHANGES  IN  CHURCH  OFFICERS 

MISSION,  STAKE,  WARD,  AND 
BRANCH  ORGANIZATIONS  SINCE 
APRIL  CONFERENCE,  1961 

NEW  MISSIONS  ORGANIZED 

Berlin  Mission. 

Chilean  Mission. 

West  European  Mission. 

MISSION  PRESIDENTS  APPOINTED 

Berlin  Mission:  Percy  K.  Fetzer. 

Central  States  Mission:  George  Carlos 
Smith,  Jr.,  to  succeed  Samuel  R. 
Carpenter. 

Chilean  Mission:  A.  Delbert  Palmer. 

Finnish  Mission:  Mark  Anderson,  to 
succeed  John  David  Warner. 

French  Mission:  Rulon  T.  Hinckley, 
to  succeed  Edgar  B.  Brossard. 

North  German  Mission:  Howard  C. 
Maycock,  to  succeed  Percy  K.  Fetzer. 

Southwest  Indian  Mission:  J.  Edwin 
Baird,  to  succeed  Fred  A.  Turley. 

Spanish  American  Mission:  Melvin 
Richard  Brooks,  to  succeed  Ralph  E. 
Brown. 

West  European  Mission:  Nathan 
Eldon  Tanner. 

West  Spanish  American  Mission: 
Grant  Milton  Burbidge,  to  succeed  Le- 
land  M.  Perry. 

Western  Canadian  Mission:  Carroll 
William  Smith,  to  succeed  Parley  An- 
drew Arave. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Second  Day 

NEW  STAKES  ORGANIZED 

Alaska  Stake  organized  August  13, 
1961  from  the  Alaskan-Canadian  Mis- 
sion. 

Beaumont  Stake  organized  September 
3,  1961  by  division  of  Houston  Stake. 

Berlin  Stake  organized  September  10, 
1961  from  the  Berlin  Mission. 

Cleveland  Stake  organized  September 
20,  1961  from  the  Great  Lakes  Mission. 

Garden  Grove  Stake  organized  June 
25,  1961  by  division  of  Santa  Ana  Stake. 

Greensboro  Stake  organized  Septem- 
ber 13,  1961  from  the  Central  Atlantic 
States  Mission. 

North  Carolina  Stake  organized  Au- 
gust 27,  1961  from  the  Central  Atlantic 
States  Mission. 

San  Leandro  Stake  organized  May  21, 
1961  by  division  of  Hayward  Stake. 

STAKE  PRESIDENTS  APPOINTED 

Alaska  Stake:  Orson  Paul  Millett. 

Bear  Lake  Stake:  Wm.  Kenneth 
Matthews  to  succeed  L.  Burdette  Pug- 
mire. 

Beaumont  Stake:  Alden  Cardon  Stout. 

Benson  Stake:  Thulburn  Russell  Holt, 
to  succeed  Clarence  Neeley. 

Berlin  Stake:  Rudi  H.  Seehagen. 

Canyon  Rim  Stake:  John  J.  Nielsen, 
to  succeed  Verl  F.  Scott. 

Cleveland  Stake:  E.  Doyle  Robison. 

East  Idaho  Falls  Stake:  Erwin  Emil 
Wirkus  to  succeed  Charles  P.  Brizzee. 

Florida  Stake:  Henry  V.  Jenkins  to 
succeed  Alvin  C.  Chace. 

Garden  Grove  Stake:  James  Malan 
Hobbs. 

Glendale  Stake:  Robert  Christian 
Seamons,  to  succeed  Edwin  S.  Dibble. 

Greensboro  Stake:  Eugene  Alexander 
Gulledge. 

Hayward  Stake:  Francis  Benjamin 
Winkel,  to  succeed  Milton  P.  Ream. 

Klamath  Stake:  Ronald  Earl  Phair,  to 
succeed  Carroll  William  Smith. 

Manchester  Stake:  William  Bates,  to 
succeed  Robert  G.  Larsen. 

North  Carolina  Stake:  Cecil  Everett 
Reese. 

Orlando  Stake:  Farrell  Archie  Munns, 
to  succeed  W.  Leonard  Duggar. 

Provo  Stake:  Dean  C.  Christensen,  to 
succeed  Aura  C.  Hatch. 

San  Leandro  Stake:  Milton  Parker 
Ream. 


CHANGES  IN  CHURCH  ORGANIZATIONS 


37 


Sugar  House  Stake:  Wilford  Wayne 
Kimball,  to  succeed  A.  Hamer  Reiser. 

Valley  View  Stake:  Rex  C.  Reeve,  to 
succeed  Lamont  B.  Gundersen. 

Wilford  Stake:  Lee  Hendricks  Nelson, 
to  succeed  Finn  B.  Paulsen. 

NEW  WARDS  ORGANIZED 

Alaska  Stake:  Anchorage,  Anchorage 
Second,  Anchorage  Third,  Fairbanks 
Second,  and  Palmer  Wards,  formerly  of 
the  Alaskan-Canadian  Mission. 

Atlanta  Stake:  Columbus  Second 
Ward,  formerly  South  Columbus 
Branch. 

Berlin  Stake:  Dahlem,  Nord  and 
Spandau  Wards,  formerly  of  the  Berlin 
Mission. 

Boise  Stake:  Boise  Fifteenth  Ward, 
formed  by  division  of  Boise  Ninth 
Ward. 

Bountiful  North  Stake:  Bountiful 
Twenty-Second  Ward,  formed  by  divi- 
sion of  Bountiful  Twelfth  Ward. 

Bountiful  South  Stake:  Bountiful 
Twentieth  Ward,  formed  by  division  of 
Bountiful  Fourth  and  Seventh  Wards. 

Chicago  Stake:  West  Suburban  Sec- 
ond Ward,  formed  by  division  of  West 
Suburban  Ward. 

Cleveland  Stake:  Cleveland  East,  Ak- 
ron, Lorain,  Kent-Ravenna,  Tri-City, 
and  Canton  Wards,  formerly  of  the 
Great  Lakes  Mission. 

Cottonwood  Stake:  South  Cottonwood 
Sixth  Ward,  formed  by  division  of  South 
Cottonwood  Ward. 

Davis  Stake:  Kaysville  Seventh  Ward, 
formed  by  division  of  Kaysville  First 
Ward. 

East  Provo  Stake:  Provo  Twenty-Sec- 
ond Ward,  formed  by  division  of  Provo 
Fifteenth  and  Bonneville  Wards. 

East  Sharon  Stake:  Oak  Hills  Third 
Ward,  formed  by  division  of  Oak  Hills 
Second  Ward;  Oak  Hills  Fourth  Ward, 
formed  by  division  of  Oak  Hills  First 
Ward. 

Edmonton  Stake:  Red  Deer  Ward, 
formerly  Red  Deer  Branch. 

Glendale  Stake:  Glendale  Third 
Ward,  formed  by  division  of  Glendale 
East  and  West  Wards. 

Granger  North  Stake:  Redwood  Third 
Ward,  formed  by  division  of  Redwood 
Ward. 

Greensboro  Stake:  Burlington,  Cas- 
well,  Charlotte,    Colfax,  Greensboro, 


Kannapolis,  and  Mt.  Airy  Wards, 
formerly  of  the  Central  Atlantic  States 
Mission. 

Hamilton  Stake:  Hamilton  Second 
Ward,  formed  by  division  of  Hamilton 
Ward. 

Kanab  Stake:  Page  Ward,  formerly 
Page  Branch. 

Lethbridge  Stake:  MacLeod  Ward, 
formerly  Ft.  MacLeod  Branch. 

Midvale  Stake:  Midvale  Fifth  Ward, 
formed  by  division  of  Midvale  Third 
and  Fourth  Wards. 

Mt.  Rubidoux  Stake:  Arlington  Sec- 
ond Ward,  formed  by  division  of 
Arlington  Ward. 

Nebo  Stake:  Payson  Sixth  Ward, 
formed  by  division  of  Payson  Second 
and  Third  and  West  Wards. 

North  Box  Elder  Stake:  Brigham 
Fifteenth  Ward,  formed  by  division  of 
Brigham  Third  and  Seventh  Wards. 

North  Carolina  Stake:  Albertson, 
Goldsboro,  Harkers  Island,  Howards 
Chapel,  Kinston,  Mt.  Zion,  New  Bern 
and  Wilmington  Wards,  formerly  of 
the  Central  Atlantic  States  Mission. 

North  Seattle  Stake:  University  Ward, 
formed  from  various  wards;  Mountlake 
Ward,  formed  by  division  of  Alderwood 
Ward. 

Oahu  Stake:  Laie  Third  Ward, 
formed  by  division  of  Laie  and  Laie 
Second  Wards. 

Orlando  Stake:  Cocoa  Ward,  formerly 
Cocoa  Branch;  Sanford  Ward,  formerly 
Sanford  Branch. 

Phoenix  North  Stake:  Phoenix  Twen- 
tieth Ward,  formed  by  division  of 
Phoenix  Sixteenth  Ward. 

Puget  Sound  Stake:  Olympia  Second 
Ward,  formed  by  division  of  Olympia 
Ward. 

Redding  Stake:  Mt.  Shasta  Ward, 
formerly  Mt.  Shasta  Branch;  Corning 
Ward,  formerly  Corning  Branch;  Red- 
ding Second  Ward,  formed  by  division 
of  Redding  and  Central  Valley  Wards. 

Reno  Stake:  Lovelock  Ward,  formerly 
Lovelock  Branch;  Sparks  Ward  formed 
by  division  of  Sparks  West  and  Sparks 
East  Wards. 

Richland  Stake:  Kennewick  Second 
Ward,  formed  by  division  of  Kennewick 
Ward;  Basin  City  Ward,  formerly  North 
Franklin  Branch. 

St.  Louis  Stake:  St.  Louis  Third  Ward, 
formed  by  division  of  St.  Louis  First  and 


38 

Saturday,  September  30 

Second  Wards;  Rolla  Ward,  formerly 
Rolla  Branch. 

San  Antonio  Stake:  San  Antonio 
Third  Ward,  formerly  Lackland  Branch. 

San  Francisco  Stake:  Daly  City  Ward, 
formed  by  division  of  Balboa  and  Bal- 
boa Second  Wards;  Polynesian  Ward, 
formerly  Polynesian  Branch. 

San  Joaquin  Stake:  Modesto  Third 
Ward,  formed  by  division  of  Modesto 
Ward. 

San  Jose  Stake:  San  Jose  Sixth  Ward, 
formed  by  division  of  San  Jose  Fourth 
Ward. 

San  Luis  Obispo  Stake:  Santa  Maria 
Second  Ward,  formed  by  division  of 
Santa  Maria  Ward. 

Sandy  Stake:  Sandy  Tenth  Ward, 
formed  by  division  of  Sandy  Fifth  Ward. 

Seattle  Stake:  Seattle  Eleventh  Ward, 
formed  by  division  of  Seattle  Second 
Ward. 

Sevier  Stake:  Richfield  Seventh  Ward, 
formed  by  division  of  Richfield  Fifth 
Ward. 

South  Blackfoot  Stake:  Blackfoot 
Ninth  Ward,  formed  by  division  of 
Blackfoot  Sixth  Ward. 

Taber  Stake:  Taber  Third  Ward, 
formed  by  division  of  Taber  First  Ward. 

Tucson  Stake:  Tucson  Sixth  Ward, 
formed  by  division  of  Tucson  Second 
Ward;  Tucson  Seventh  Ward,  formed 
by  division  of  Tucson  Fourth  Ward. 

Tulsa  Stake:  Tulsa  Third  Ward, 
formed  by  division  of  Tulsa  Second 
Ward. 

University  Stake:  University  Ninth 
Ward. 

Utah  State  University  Stake:  Univer- 
sity Tenth  Ward,  formed  from  various 
wards. 

Valley  View  Stake:  Valley  View 
Seventh  Ward,  formed  by  divsion  of 
the  six  Valley  View  Wards;  Valley  View 
Eighth  Ward,  formed  by  division  of  the 
six  Valley  View  Wards. 

Walnut  Creek  Stake:  Antioch  Ward, 
formed  by  division  of  Pittsburg  Ward; 
Oakgrove  Ward,  formed  by  division  of 
Concord  Second  Ward. 

West  Boise  Stake:  Boise  Sixteenth 
Ward,  formed  by  division  of  Boise 
Eighth  and  Eleventh  Wards. 

WARDS  AND  BRANCHES 
TRANSFERRED 

Alaska  Stake:  Anchorage,  Anchorage 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Second  Day 

Second  and  Third,  Fairbanks,  Fairbanks 
Second,  and  Palmer  Wards,  formerly  of 
the  Alaskan-Canadian  Mission. 

Beaumont  Stake:  Beaumont,  Silsbee, 
and  Williamson  Wards;  Buna,  Lake 
Charles,  Orange,  Port  Arthur,  and 
Woodville  Branches,  formerly  of  Hous- 
ton Stake. 

Butte  Stake:  Philipsburg  Branch, 
formerly  of  Missoula  Stake. 

East  Idaho  Falls  Stake:  Coltman, 
Ucon,  and  Ucon  Second  Wards,  form- 
erly of  North  Idaho  Falls  Stake. 

Greensboro  Stake:  Burlington,  Cas- 
well, Charlotte,  Colfax,  Greensboro, 
Kannapolis,  and  Mt.  Airy  Wards;  Ashe- 
boro,  Lexington,  and  Rockingham 
Branches,  formerly  of  the  Central  At- 
lantic States  Mission. 

Idaho  Falls  Stake:  Idaho  Falls 
Twenty-Fourth  Ward,  formerly  of  East 
Idaho  Falls  Stake. 

Leeds  Stake:  Bradford  Ward,  former- 
ly of  Manchester  Stake. 

North  Carolina  Stake:  Albertson, 
Goldsboro,  Harkers  Island,  Howards 
Chapel,  Kinston,  Mt.  Zion,  New  Bern, 
and  Wilmington  Wards;  Greenville, 
Jacksonville,  and  Waccamaw  River 
Branches,  formerly  of  the  Central  At- 
lantic States  Mission. 

San  Leandro  Stake:  Castro  Valley, 
Castro  Valley  Second,  Oakland  Second, 
San  Leandro,  San  Leandro  Second,  San 
Lorenzo,  and  San  Lorenzo  Second 
Wards,  formerly  of  Hayward  Stake. 

Santa  Rosa  Stake:  Cloverdale,  Fort 
Bragg,  Lakeport,  Ukiah,  and  Willits 
Branches,  formerly  of  the  Northern 
California  Mission. 

South  Carolina  Stake:  Aiken  and 
Camden  Branches,  formerly  of  the 
Southern  States  Mission. 

WARD  AND  BRANCH  NAME 
CHANGED 

Richland  Stake:  Basin  City  Ward, 
formerly  North  Franklin  Branch. 

INDEPENDENT  BRANCHES 
ORGANIZED 

Alaska  Stake:  Chugiak  and  Eielson 
Branches. 

Ashley  Stake:  Bennett  Branch  (Indian 
Branch) . 

Berlin  Stake:  Charlottenburg,  Tern- 


PRESIDENT  DAVID  O.  McKAY 


39 


pelhof,  and  Neukoeln  Branches,  form- 
erly of  the  Berlin  Mission. 

Cleveland  Stake:  Sandusky,  Geneva, 
Alliance,  and  Wooster  Branches,  form- 
erly of  the  Great  Lakes  Mission. 

El  Paso  Stake:  Dell  City  Branch, 
formed  by  division  of  El  Paso  Fourth 
and  Carlsbad  Wards. 

Flagstaff  Stake:  Ashfork  Branch, 
formed  by  division  of  Williams  Branch. 

Greensboro  Stake:  Asheboro,  Lexing- 
ton, and  Rockingham  Branches,  form- 
erly of  the  Central  Atlantic  States 
Mission. 

Hamilton  Stake:  Cambridge  Branch, 
formed  by  division  of  Hamilton  Ward; 
Paeroa  Branch,  formed  by  division  of 
Thames  Branch. 

Houston  Stake:  Woodville  Branch, 
formed  by  division  of  Silsbee  and  Bay- 
town  Wards  and  Buna  Branch  of 
Houston  Stake,  and  Longview  Ward  of 
Shreveport  Stake. 

Kanab  Stake:  Kaibab  Branch,  formed 
for  the  Lamanite  people  of  this  area. 

Lost  River  Stake:  Howe  Branch, 
formed  by  division  of  Arco  Ward. 

Nampa  Stake:  McDermitt  Branch, 
formed  by  division  of  Marsing  Ward. 

North  Carolina  Stake:  Greenville, 
Jacksonville,  and  Waccamaw  River 
Branches,  formerly  of  the  Central  At- 
lantic States  Mission. 

Santa  Rosa  Stake:  Cloverdale,  Fort 
Bragg,  Lakeport,  Ukiah,  and  Willits 
Branches,  formerly  of  the  Northern 
California  Mission. 

South  Carolina  Stake:  Aiken  and 
Camden  Branches,  formerly  of  the 
Southern  States  Mission. 

South  Los  Angeles  Stake:  Indian 
Branch. 

Tampa  Stake:  Lake  Wales  Branch, 
formed  by  division  of  Winter  Haven 
Ward. 

Taylor  Stake:  Foremost  Branch, 
formed  by  division  of  Wrentham 
Branch. 

Twin  Falls  Stake:  Hollister  Branch, 
formed  by  division  of  Twin  Falls  Sec- 
ond Ward. 

Uintah  Stake:  Gusher  Branch  (Indian 
Branch). 

Uvada  Stake:  Enterprise  Indian 
Branch,  formed  by  division  of  Enter- 
prise Second  Ward. 


WARDS  AND  INDEPENDENT 
BRANCHES  DISCONTINUED 

Hamilton  Stake:  Te  Puke  Branch, 
membership  transferred  to  Tauranga 
Ward. 

Liberty  Stake:  North  Eighth  Ward, 
membership  transferred  to  the  Eighth 
Ward. 

Murray  Stake:  Murray  Fourth  Ward, 
membership  transferred  to  Murray  Sec- 
ond Ward. 

New  Orleans  Stake:  Gulfport,  Biloxi, 
Columbia,  Hattiesburg,  Liberty,  Bayou 
La  Croix,  McNeill,  Sand  Hill,  and 
Pascagoula  Wards  and  branches,  now 
branches  in  the  Gulf  State  Mission. 

San  Diego  East  Stake:  Spanish- Amer- 
ican Branch,  membership  transferred  to 
various  wards. 

Tooele  Stake:  Tod  Park  Branch,  mem- 
bership transferred  to  Stockton  Ward. 

West  Jordan  Stake:  Bingham  Ward, 
membership  transferred  to  Copperton 
Ward. 

THOSE  WHO  HAVE  PASSED  AWAY 

Christian  Jensen,  former  acting  presi- 
dent of  the  Brigham  Young  University. 

Alice  Sheets  Smoot,  widow  of  the  late 
Elder  Reed  Smoot  of  the  Council  of  the 
Twelve  Apostles  and  former  United 
States  Senator  from  Utah. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Before  President  Henry  D.  Moyle 
presents  the  names  of  the  General  Au- 
thorities and  General  Officers  of  the 
Church,  I  wish  to  say  a  few  words 
and  present  some  releases  for  your 
consideration. 

Last  June  it  was  evident  to  the 
First  Presidency  of  the  Church,  the 
President  and  his  two  counselors,  J. 
Reuben  Clark,  Jr.  and  Henry  D.  Moyle, 
that  it  would  be  necessary  to  have  some 
help  in  the  First  Presidency.  According- 
ly, the  President  recommended  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Twelve,  Hugh  B.  Brown,  as 
an  assistant  in  the  First  Presidency.  This 
was  presented  to  the  members  of  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve  who  unanimously 
approved  of  the  appointment,  and  on 
June  22,  1961  Brother  Brown  was  set 
apart  and  ordained  as  an  assistant 
in  the  First  Presidency.  Today  when 


40 

Saturday,  September  30 

the  names  are  presented,  we  ask  your 
support  of  this  action  of  the  First  Presi- 
dency of  the  Church. 

Bishop  Joseph  L.  Wirthlin  was  re- 
cently appointed  as  Secretary-Treasurer 
of  the  Deseret  Title  Holding  Corpora- 
tion, and  the  Brethren  feel  that  it  would 
be  well  not  to  overburden  him  as  Presid- 
ing Bishop,  and  recommend  that  he  be 
appointed  Secretary-Treasurer  of  this 
Holding  Corporation,  and  that  he  be  re- 
leased as  Presiding  Bishop  of  the 
Church;  and  with  him  his  counselors, 
Thorpe  B.  Isaacson,  and  his  second 
counselor,  Bishop  Carl  W.  Buehner. 

It  is  also  recommended  that  the  Pres- 
idency of  the  Young  Women's  Associa- 
tion be  reorganized;  that  Sister  Bertha 
S.  Reeder,  President,  be  honorably  re- 
leased, with  her  counselors — Sister  Emily 
H.  Bennett  as  first  counselor,  and  Sister 
LaRue  C.  Longden  as  second  counselor. 

I  would  just  like  to  say  a  word  about 
the  release  of  these  good,  faithful 
brethren  and  sisters.  The  accomplish- 
ment of  the  three  men  as  the  Presidency 
of  the  Aaronic  Priesthood  of  the  Church 
has  been  apparent  to  all  who  have  had 
occasion  to  note  their  diligence  and 
success  with  the  young  men  under  their 
immediate  direction.  Last  Thursday,  in 
a  meeting  of  all  the  General  Authori- 
ties, when  called  upon  to  represent  the 
Presiding  Bishopric,  Bishop  Carl  W. 
Buehner  gave  a  very  enlightening  and 
inspirational  address  regarding  the  de- 
tails and  comprehensive  activities  of  this 
important  department  of  the  Church. 
Their  work  in  taking  care  of  statistical 
and  financial  phases,  and  particularly 
their  remarkably  successful  efforts  with 
the  members  of  the  Senior  Aaronic 
Priesthood,  will  mark  their  era  of  serv- 
ice with  everlasting  distinction,  and  re- 
dound to  the  blessing  of  thousands, 
with  their  release  of  these  important  po- 
sitions, and  with  the  commendation  and 
blessings  of  the  General  Authorities  of 
the  Church,  and  all  who  have  been 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Second  Day 

blessed  by  their  inspirational  efforts. 
Never  before  in  the  history  of  the 
Church  has  there  been  such  a  marked 
increase  in  attendance  at  Sacrament 
Meetings  and  other  important  meetings 
in  stakes,  wards,  missions  and  branches 
throughout  the  Church  in  all  the  world. 

That  increased  attendance  is  largely 
due  to  the  work  of  the  Presiding  Bishop- 
ric, and  General  Superintendency  of  the 
Young  Men's  Mutual  Improvement  As- 
sociation among  the  young  men,  and  the 
General  Presidency  of  the  Young  Wom- 
en's Mutual  Improvement  Association 
among  the  young  women  of  the  Church. 
With  this  release  of  the  Presiding 
Bishopric  and  the  General  Presidency  of 
the  Young  Women's  Mutual  Improve- 
ment Association  goes  the  assurance  of 
our  gratitude  to  the  Lord  that  you  have 
rendered  to  him  and  to  his  Church  such 
concentrated  effort  and  devotion.  Please 
accept  of  our  heartfelt  gratitude  for  the 
service  you  have  so  ably  and  unselfishly 
rendered.  May  the  blessings  of  the  Lord 
and  his  divine  protection  be  with  you 
always. 

We  recommend  therefore,  to  the 
Church,  its  representatives  in  Confer- 
ence assembled,  the  honorable  release 
of  Joseph  L.  Wirthlin  as  Presiding 
Bishop,  Thorpe  B.  Isaacson  as  First 
Counselor,  and  Carl  W.  Buehner  as 
Second  Counselor.  All  in  favor  of  this 
proposition  manifest  it  by  raising  the 
right  hand.  Any  who  are  opposed  by 
the  same  sign. 

We  recommend  the  honorable  release 
of  Sister  Bertha  S.  Reeder  as  General 
President  of  the  Young  Women's  Mu- 
tual Improvement  Association,  and  Sis- 
ter Emily  H.  Bennett  as  First  Counselor, 
and  Sister  LaRue  C.  Longden  as  Second 
Counselor.  All  in  favor  will  please 
manifest  it. 

President  Henry  D.  Moyle  will  now 
present  for  your  sustaining  vote  or  other- 
wise the  General  Authorities  and  Offi- 
cers of  the  Church. 


GENERAL  AUTHORITIES  OF  THE  CHURCH 

The  First  Presidency 

David  O.  McKay,  Prophet,  Seer  and  Revelator,  and  President  of  The  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints. 

J.  Reuben  Clark,  Jr.,  First  Counselor  in  the  First  Presidency. 
Henry  D.  Moyle,  Second  Counselor  in  the  First  Presidency. 
Hugh  B.  Brown,  Counselor  in  the  First  Presidency. 


GENERAL  OFFICERS  OF  THE  CHURCH  41 

President  of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 
Joseph  Fielding  Smith 

Quorum  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 

Joseph  Fielding  Smith  Marion  G.  Romney 

Harold  B.  Lee  LeGrand  Richards 

Spencer  W.  Kimball  Richard  L.  Evans 

Ezra  Taft  Benson  George  Q.  Morris 

Mark  E.  Petersen  Howard  W.  Hunter 

Delbert  L.  Stapley  Gordon  B.  Hinckley 

Patriarch  to  the  Church 

Eldred  G.  Smith 

The  Counselors  in  the  First  Presidency,  the  Twelve  Apostles  and  the  Patriarch 
to  the  Church  as  Prophets,  Seers  and  Revelators. 

Assistants  to  the  Twelve 

Alma  Sonne  Alvin  R.  Dyer 

El  Ray  L.  Christiansen  Nathan  Eldon  Tanner 

John  Longden  Franklin  D.  Richards 

Sterling  W.  Sill  Theodore  M.  Burton 

Henry  D.  Taylor  Thorpe  B.  Isaacson 

William  J.  Critchlow,  Jr.  Boyd  K.  Packer 

Trustee-in-Trust 

David  O.  McKay 

as  Trustee-in-Trust  for  The  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints. 
The  First  Council  of  the  Seventy 

Levi  Edgar  Young  Bruce  R.  McConkie 

Antoine  R.  Ivins  Marion  D.  Hanks 

Seymour  Dilworth  Young  Albert  Theodore  Tuttle 

Milton  R.  Hunter 

Presiding  Bishopric 

John  H.  Vandenberg,  Presiding  Bishop 
Robert  L.  Simpson,  First  Counselor 
Victor  L.  Brown,  Second  Counselor 

Church  Historian  and  Recorder 

Joseph  Fielding  Smith,  with  A.  William  Lund  and  Preston  Nibley  as  Assistants. 

GENERAL  AUXILIARY  OFFICERS  OF  THE  CHURCH 

Relief  Society 

Belle  Smith  Spafford,  President 
Marianne  Clark  Sharp,  First  Counselor 
Louise  Wallace  Madsen,  Second  Counselor 
with  all  members  of  the  Board  as  at  present  constituted. 

Deseret  Sunday  School  Union 

George  R.  Hill,  General  Superintendent 
David  Lawrence  McKay,  First  Assistant  Superintendent 
Lynn  S.  Richards,  Second  Assistant  Superintendent 
with  all  members  of  the  Board  as  at  present  constituted. 


42  GENERAL  CONFERENCE 

Saturday,  September  30  Second  Day 

Young  Men's  Mutual  Improvement  Association 

Joseph  T.  Bentley,  General  Superintendent 
George  Carlos  Smith,  Jr.,  First  Assistant  Superintendent 
Marvin  J.  Ashton,  Second  Assistant  Superintendent 
with  all  members  of  the  Board  as  at  present  constituted. 

Young  Women's  Mutual  Improvement  Association 

Florence  Smith  Jacobsen,  President 
Margaret  Romney  Jackson,  First  Counselor 
Dorothy  Palmer  Holt,  Second  Counselor 

Primary  Association 

LaVern  W.  Parmley,  President 
Arta  M.  Hale,  First  Counselor 
Leone  W.  Doxey,  Second  Counselor 
with  all  members  of  the  Board  as  at  present  constituted. 

Church  Board  of  Education 

David  O.  McKay  Mark  E.  Petersen 

J.  Reuben  Clark,  Jr.  Delbert  L.  Stapley 

Henry  D.  Moyle  Marion  G.  Romney 

Hugh  B.  Brown  LeGrand  Richards 

Joseph  Fielding  Smith  Richard  L.  Evans 

Harold  B.  Lee  George  Q.  Morris 

Spencer  W.  Kimball  Howard  W.  Hunter 

Ezra  Taft  Benson  Gordon  B.  Hinckley 

Chancellor  of  the  Church  School  System 

Ernest  L.  Wilkinson 

Church  Finance  Committee 

Orval  W.  Adams 
Harold  H.  Bennett 
Wilford  G.  Edling 
Glenn  E.  Nielson 
Weston  E.  Hamilton 

Senior  Church  Auditors 

Harold  L.  Davis 
Charles  Schmidt 

CHURCH  WELFARE  COMMITTEE 

Advisers 

Harold  B.  Lee  John  Longden 

Delbert  L.  Stapley  Henry  D.  Taylor 

Marion  G.  Romney  Antoine  R.  Ivins 

LeGrand  Richards  John  H.  Vandenberg 

Howard  W.  Hunter  Robert  L.  Simpson 

Alma  Sonne  Victor  L.  Brown 

El  Ray  L.  Christiansen 

and  the  General  Presidency  of  Relief  Society 


PRESIDENT  HENRY  D.  MOYLE 


43 


Genera..  Church  Welfare  Committee 

Marion  G.  Romney,  Chairman 
Henry  D.  Taylor,  Managing  Director 
Paul  C.  Child  Walter  Stover 

Mark  B.  Garff  A.  Lewis  Elggren 

William  T.  Lawrence  Donald  Ellsworth 

Lorenzo  H.  Hatch  Casper  H.  Parker 

Walter  Dansie  Alfred  B.  Smith 

LeRoy  A.  Wirthlin 

Tabernacle  Choir 

Lester  F.  Hewlett,  President 
Richard  P.  Condie,  Conductor 
Jay  E.  Welch,  Assistant  Conductor 
W.  Jack  Thomas,  Tour  Manager 

Organists 

Alexander  Schreiner 

Frank  W.  Asper 

Roy  M.  Darley,  Assistant 


President  Henry  D.  Moyle: 

President  McKay,  the  voting  seems 
to  have  been  unanimous  in  the  affir- 
mative. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

You  will  note  that  only  the  Presidency 
of  the  Young  Women's  Association  was 
presented  to  you  for  your  sustaining 
vote.  It  will  be  appropriate  to  accept  the 
recommendation  that  with  the  honor- 
able release  of  Sister  Reeder  and  her 
counselors  all  members  of  the  Young 
Women's  Board  have  received  an  hon- 


orable release  also,  leaving  the  new 
Presidency  free  to  choose  as  many  of 
the  Board  as  they  wish,  and  any  others. 
It  is  recommended,  therefore,  that  with 
the  present  release  of  the  Presidency  of 
the  Young  Women's  Board  all  members 
of  the  Board  be  also  honorably  released. 
All  in  favor  will  manifest  it.  Any  op- 
posed? That  is  why  there  was  a  hesi- 
tancy in  the  presentation  of  the  Young 
Women's  Board. 

Thank  you  all  for  unanimous  voting. 

President  Henry  D.  Moyle  of  the 
First  Presidency  will  be  our  first  speaker 
this  morning.  He  will  be  followed  by 
Elder  Mark  E.  Petersen. 


PRESIDENT  HENRY  D.  MOYLE 

Second  Counselor  in  the  First  Presidency 


I  am  sure,  my  brethren  and  sisters,  that 
we  all  appreciate  the  opportunity  to  lift 
our  hand  to  sustain  President  David  O. 
McKay  as  President  of  the  Church,  and 
in  so  doing  we  have  in  our  hearts  a 
feeling  of  deep  gratitude  for  the  privi- 
lege that  is  thus  afforded  us  as  members 
of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter- 
day  Saints. 

It  is  glorious  to  be  a  member.  It  is 
glorious  to  have  any  office  or  calling  in 
the  Church,  no  matter  how  relatively 
humble  the  title  may  sound.  I  am  im- 
pressed constantly  with  the  fact  that, 


regardless  of  our  calling,  we  are  all  en- 
couraged, we  are  all  dedicated,  and  we 
are  all  working  in  the  service  of  the 
Master.  I  am  sure  that  we  do  not  per- 
mit our  closeness  to  the  work,  we  do 
not  permit  the  fact  that  we  have  such 
ready  access  to  our  Father  in  heaven 
through  prayer  to  take  our  membership 
in  the  Church  lightly  or  to  take  our 
callings  in  the  Church  lightly.  We  are 
always  conscious  of  his  nearness  to  us 
and  the  blessings  which  we  receive  in 
answer  to  our  prayers. 
I  am  sure  it  would  be  more  pleasing 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


44 

Saturday,  September  30 

to  our  Father  in  heaven  to  have  us 
resign  our  positions — and  that  is  not  a 
practice  which  we  commend  in  the 
Church — but  nonetheless  it  seems  pre- 
ferable to  neglecting  our  duties  in  the 
least  detail.  It  gives  us  an  awesome 
feeling  to  realize  that  we  are  dedicated 
to  the  work  of  the  Lord,  and  having 
thus  committed  ourselves,  it  is  not  our 
privilege  or  our  prerogative  to  violate 
his  commandments,  even  the  slightest 
of  them.  The  Lord  expects,  and  we 
expect  it  of  ourselves,  each  one  of  us, 
to  live  out  our  lives  here  upon  this 
earth  in  as  complete  conformity  to  the 
laws  of  God  as  we  are  capable.  No 
means  of  rationalizing,  no  means  of 
conjuring  up  excuses  as  to  why  we 
should  do  this  or  should  not  do  the 
other,  contrary  to  the  will  of  our  Heav- 
enly Father,  has  any  place  in  our  lives. 

I  am  grateful  this  morning  that 
throughout  the  world  the  work  of  the 
Lord  is  progressing  most  satisfactorily, 
indeed  so  satisfactorily  that  sometimes 
we  feel  that  we  are  hardly  capable  of 
keeping  up  with  the  progress  of  the 
Church. 

In  the  mission  field  the  Lord  has 
blessed  us.  I  just  want  to  give  you 
two  figures.  In  the  first  nine  months 
of  1959  in  the  foreign  or  full-time  mis- 
sions of  the  Church,  we  had  over  23,000 
what  we  call  convert  baptisms,  and  in 
the  first  eight  months  of  1961  we  have 
had  over  54,000.  We  are  constantly 
asked  why  it  is  that  this  great  increase 
in  converts  should  come  about  at  this 
particular  time. 

My  first  answer  to  that  question  would 
be  that  the  faithfulness  and  the  devo- 
tion of  the  Saints,  their  efforts  to  live 
lives  of  righteousness,  to  dedicate  their 
lives  to  the  principles  of  truth  and  right, 
is  of  primary  importance.  We  know 
without  any  question  of  a  doubt  that 
the  blessings  which  descend  upon  us  as 
a  people  are  directly  commensurate  with 
our  faithfulness,  with  our  nearness  to 
our  Heavenly  Father.  As  we  keep  the 
channel  of  communication  between  us 
and  our  Father  in  heaven  open,  we  can 
expect  to  be  blessed  more  abundantly 
all  the  time. 

In  the  second  place,  we  cannot  be 
close  to  this  missionary  work  without 
being  conscious  of  and  without  acknowl- 


Second  Day 

edging  the  fact  that  the  Lord  has 
touched  the  hearts  of  men  all  over  the 
world  and  has  made  them  responsive 
to  the  humble  testimonies  of  the  elders 
as  they  go  forth  in  the  performance  of 
their  duties  as  missionaries  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  in  preaching  the 
gospel  throughout  the  world. 

Our  approach,  our  initial  contact 
with  our  friends  throughout  the  world, 
is  the  simplest  approach  we  know  how 
to  make.  Our  lessons  and  their  presenta- 
tion are  also  direct  and  to  the  point. 
This  simplicity  of  our  approach  and 
presentation  of  the  gospel  belies  the 
existence  of  any  design  or  device  or 
scheme  or  contrivance  or  intrigue  of  any 
kind  by  which  unsuspecting  investigators 
might  be  brought  in  as  members  of  the 
Church  without  their  really  knowing 
what  they  are  doing  or  without  their 
having  exercised  an  absolute  free  agency 
of  which  President  McKay  spoke  so 
beautifully  yesterday. 

Let  us  stop  and  think  for  a  moment 
what  a  young  missionary  has  to  ac- 
complish before  he  leads  the  convert 
down  into  the  waters  of  baptism.  He 
must  first  teach  him  the  Word  of  Wis- 
dom, and  that  means  teach  him  in 
practically  all  cases  to  give  up  practices 
which  have  been  lifelong  and  confirmed 
and  live  virtually  a  new  life  and  to  have 
the  investigator  commit  himself  to  the 
keeping  of  this  commandment  of  the 
Lord  from  the  time  of  his  baptism  until 
the  Lord  calls  him  home. 

We  ask  him  to  reform  his  life  with 
reference  to  Sunday  observance.  We 
teach  him  that  Sunday — the  Sabbath — 
is  a  holy  day.  The  Lord  has  prescribed 
for  his  children  what  should  and  what 
should  not  be  done  on  the  Sabbath  day. 
And  here  again  the  convert  is  required 
to  give  up  in  many  instances  that  weekly 
activity  toward  which  he  has  always 
looked  previously — a  holiday,  rather 
than  a  day  of  worship. 

We  teach  him  the  law  of  tithing  as 
revealed  in  these  latter  days  by  the 
Lord  to  his  children,  something  he  has 
been  unaccustomed  to  in  the  past,  and 
here  again  it  is  obligatory  upon  the 
missionary  to  commit  his  candidate  for 
baptism  to  a  strict  observance  of  the 
law  of  tithing,  accounting  to  the  Lord 


PRESIDENT  HENRY  D.  MOYLE 


45 


for  the  rest  of  his  life  for  a  tenth  of  his 
income,  his  increase. 

Converts  are  taught  to  live  worthy  to 
hold  the  priesthood  of  God.  They  are 
taught  from  the  beginning  that  after 
their  baptism  they  will  be  introduced 
into  the  priesthood.  They  will  have  the 
Aaronic  Priesthood  conferred  upon  them, 
and  later  the  Higher  or  the  Melchizedek 
Priesthood.  In  order  to  be  worthy  of 
this  progress  and  advancement  in  the 
Church,  they  must  be  as  strict  as  pos- 
sible in  keeping  the  laws  and  com- 
mandments of  God. 

Then  too,  they  are  taught  and  told 
and  have  impressed  upon  their  minds 
the  fact  that  when  they  are  once  mem- 
bers of  the  Church,  they  then  have  an 
obligation  to  assist  in  promulgating  the 
gospel  to  their  friends  and  neighbors. 
In  short,  to  be  prepared  to  answer  each 
and  every  call  of  the  priesthood  made 
of  them,  just  as  these  fine  men  and 
women  who  today  have  been  called 
into  service  have  willingly  responded. 
Those  who  are  being  released  and  given 
other  positions  accept  the  changes  with 
the  same  kind  of  loyalty  and  devotion 
which  they  have  previously  extended  to 
the  work. 

When  you  take  into  consideration 
these  and  many  other  unmentioned  facts, 
you  have  to  stop  and  ask  yourself  the 
question,  "How  can  this  nineteen-year- 
old  boy  of  mine  or  of  yours  go  out  into 
a  strange  world,  many  of  them  to  a 
strange  country,  where  a  strange  lan- 
guage is  spoken,  and  find  almost  of  a 
sudden  that  they  are  touching  the  lives 
of  total  strangers  in  a  manner  which  is 
almost  beyond  comprehension  and  cer- 
tainly beyond  the  power  of  man?" 

Take  these  great  reformers,  these  great 
evangelists,  who  are  able  to  draw, 
through  their  publicity  and  otherwise, 
great  bodies  of  men  and  women.  What 
is  their  ultimate  accomplishment?  They 
do  not  seek  to  change  a  man's  way  of 
life.  They  are  happy  when  they  can 
get  the  man  or  the  woman  to  confess 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the 
Living  God,  and  when  they  have  made 
that  confession,  that  is  it.  No  organiza- 
tions, no  requirements,  no  obligations 
of  any  kind  I  These  are  learned  men — 
men,  I  presume,  as  brilliant  as  any  men 
in  the  world.   They  are  mature,  and  I 


ask  you  to  sit  down  and  stop  and  think 
occasionally  when  you  have  this  mis- 
sionary work  on  your  mind  as  to  the 
difference  between  the  results  wrought 
in  the  lives  of  converts  to  the  Church 
and  converts  to  these  great  popular 
movements,  no  matter  how  fine,  how 
elegant,  how  praiseworthy  they  may  be. 

You  know,  to  me  it  is  nothing  short 
of  a  miracle  to  have  men  and  women, 
mature,  much  older  than  the  mission- 
aries, submit  themselves  to  these  young 
men  to  be  baptized  by  them.  That  in- 
volves a  serious  matter.  The  average 
normal  citizen,  friend,  would  only  do 
that  upon  one  foundation  or  one  basis 
and  that  is  that  they  have  received  in 
their  hearts  a  testimony  from  God  that 
this  young  elder  has  the  priesthood  of 
God  conferred  upon  him  by  those  who 
have  that  authority  to  preach  the  gospel 
and  administer  in  its  ordinances.  Other- 
wise, what  they  do  would  be  a  mockery. 
It  is  not  to  be  presumed  that  54,000 
people  this  year  in  all  of  the  countries 
of  the  world  in  which  we  have  mis- 
sionaries would  have  permitted  them- 
selves to  go  through  this  formality  to 
no  good  purpose.  It  takes  some  effort, 
it  takes  a  great  deal  of  humility.  Unless 
they  were  convinced  and  converted  to 
the  fact  that  there  in  this  young  mis- 
sionary they  had  found  the  power  of 
God  vested  to  administer  in  the  sacred 
ordinances  of  the  gospel,  they  would 
not  do  so. 

It  has  interested  me  because  in  more 
than  one  country  this  year  the  follow- 
ing question  has  been  raised  more  or 
less  officially.  Can  a  nineteen-year-old 
boy  be  a  minister  of  the  gospel?  Are 
we  justified  as  a  government  to  confer 
upon  him  the  benefits  that  inhere  in 
the  status  of  a  minister  of  the  gospel? 
And  they  say  no.  A  nineteen-year-old 
boy  could  not  possibly  be  a  minister 
of  the  gospel.  He  has  not  studied.  He 
has  not  gone  through  school.  He  is 
not  mature. 

Now,  what  does  that  mean?  He  is  not 
learned  in  the  ways  of  man.  If  they 
stop,  as  these  54,000  converts  have 
stopped,  and  reflected  and  prayed  and 
received  an  answer  to  their  prayers, 
they  would  know  that  the  Lord  is  cap- 
able of  conferring  blessings  upon  his 
children  here  on  the  earth  through  a 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


46 

Saturday,  September  30 

nineteen-year-old  boy  as  well  as  through 
an  older  man,  that  one  of  the  condi- 
tions is  not  that  he  be  steeped  in  the 
learning  of  man,  but  that  he  is  in  tune 
with  the  Spirit  of  our  Heavenly  Father. 

I  must  not  take  too  much  time,  but 
I  cannot  sit  down  without  giving  you 
one  or  two  examples  of  what  is  going 
on  in  the  world  today  to  indicate  this 
thought  of  mine  that  we  are  converting 
by  the  Spirit,  and  the  only  virtue  in 
the  plan  which  we  have  in  use  now 
throughout  the  world  is  that  it  is  the 
simplest  possible  presentation  of  the 
gospel  that  these  great  mission  presidents 
of  ours  have  been  able  to  work  out  in 
the  mission  field,  the  least  likely  to 
affect  the  minds  or  the  reason  of  men — 
so  simple,  in  fact,  that  it  cannot  have 
any  effect  upon  men  of  the  world  unless 
there  is  a  higher  power  that  touches 
their  hearts  and  brings  conversion  to 
their  souls. 

I  have  become  more  and  more  con- 
vinced in  my  association  with  missionary 
work  that  most  people  are  touched  by 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  upon  the  occa- 
sion of  the  missionary's  first  contact. 
Otherwise,  they  would  not  invite  the 
missionary  back  time  after  time  to  be 
taught  the  principles  of  the  gospel  and 
to  be  brought  closer  and  closer  and 
ultimately  into  the  waters  of  baptism. 

Brother  Brossard  tells  us  the  story  of 
twenty-five  conversions  in  France.  Cer- 
tainly there  was  no  scheme  that  brought 
these  conversions  about.  There  was  an 
army  officer,  a  soldier,  in  Algeria,  and 
while  he  was  there  in  the  service  of  his 
country,  his  wife  had  a  baby,  and  it 
died.  It  was  not  baptized  in  the  church 
of  its  parents,  they  believing  in  infant 
baptism,  and  therefore  the  church  de- 
nied to  that  family  a  church  funeral 
service  for  the  child.  I  will  not  go  into 
the  details,  but  we  had  a  friend  of 
Brother  Brossard  and  the  missionaries, 
(and  I  guess  they  are  friends  to  all  of 
us)  who  called  the  attention  of  this 
distraught  mother  to  the  missionaries, 
and  they  went  in  at  the  request  of  the 
family  and  held  the  services,  and  these 
twenty- five  baptisms  came  as  a  result 
of  it,  all  from  a  single  group.  I  was 
looking  for  this  figure  because  I  do  not 
want  to  go  beyond  the  facts,  but  this 
group  is  much  larger  than  the  twenty- 


Second  Day 

five,  and  the  missionaries  are  now  in 
the  process  of  teaching  the  gospel  to  the 
rest  of  them,  and  President  Brossard 
assures  us  that  the  twenty-five  is  just  a 
small  beginning  to  what  will  come 
about  out  of  this  single  instance. 

Then  we  have  the  story  of  a  mission- 
ary who  ran  a  red  light,  and  by  so  doing 
got  the  name  and  address  of  the  traffic 
officer  and  an  invitation  to  visit  him  in 
his  home.  The  officer's  penalty  after 
the  missionary  got  through  with  him 
was — what  does  the  Good  Book  say? — 
"Go  thy  way  and  sin  no  more." 

We  have  the  story  of  two  missionaries 
coming  from  Zollingen  in  Germany  who 
went  to  the  mayor  to  give  him  a  Book 
of  Mormon,  made  friends  with  him,  and 
on  a  rainy  day,  seeing  them  from  his 
limousine,  the  mayor  called  to  them  to 
come  over  and  get  in  the  car.  He 
wanted  to  drive  them  to  the  City  Coun- 
cil and  introduce  them  officially  to  that 
august  body. 

And  two  missionaries  in  Hamburg, 
Germany,  went  to  the  chief  of  police 
to  make  themselves  known  and  to  tell 
their  story,  and  as  a  result  he  gave 
them  his  card  and  said,  "I  want  you 
elders  to  feel  free  to  call  upon  me  at 
any  time  in  case  you  have  any  diffi- 
culty, or  there  is  any  service  we  can 
render  you,  and  I  will  have  my  car 
to  you  within  five  minutes." 

These  were  all  nineteen-year-old  boys, 
and  I  could  go  on  and  tell  you  of  many 
others.  There  was  not  anything  those 
boys  could  do  or  say  of  their  own  that 
would  bring  about  such  miraculous  re- 
sults, but  the  first  contact  was  enough 
to  open  the  door  for  future  contacts. 
That  is  the  way  the  work  of  the  Lord 
goes  on.  Isn't  it  wonderful  to  realize 
that  the  prophecies  of  old  are  being 
fulfilled?  How  true  it  is  that  a  stone 
has  been  cut  out  of  a  mountain  without 
hands  and  is  rolling  forth  and  will  fill 
the  earth.  Almost  every  prophecy  we 
have  in  the  Old  and  the  New  Testa- 
ments concerning  the  latter  days  fits 
into  our  program  and  furnishes  us  the 
exact,  the  proper  answer  to  this  inquiry 
as  to  the  marvelous  results  accompany- 
ing the  work  of  our  missionaries.  They 
work  by  and  through  the  Spirit,  and  let 
me  say  this  to  you  mothers  and  fathers, 
we  love  you,  and  we  appreciate  your 


ELDER  MARK  E.  PETERSEN 


47 


loyalty,  and  we  appreciate  your  sons' 
and  your  daughters'  service.  Have  no 
concern  about  your  sons  and  daughters 
in  the  mission  field.  It  makes  no  dif- 
ference who  their  mission  president  is. 
As  long  as  they  are  in  the  line  of  their 
duty,  encouraged  by  their  parents  so  to 
be,  they  are  in  the  hands  of  the  Lord, 
and  he  has  promised  to  take  care  of 
them  and  is  bound  by  those  promises. 
I  can  conceive  of  nothing  more  won- 
derful in  all  the  world  than  to  have  the 
absolute  assurance  that  the  Spirit  of 
God  is  with  your  sons  and  daughters  in 
the  mission  field  to  preserve  them,  to 
protect  them,  to  inspire  them,  to  per- 
form a  service  that  no  one  upon  this 
earth  can  perform  unless  he  has  the 
delegated  power  from  God  to  do  so. 

"And  any  man  that  shall  go  and 
preach  this  gospel  of  the  kingdom,  and 
fail  not  to  continue  faithful  in  all 
things,  shall  not  be  weary  in  mind, 
neither  darkened,  neither  in  body,  limb, 


nor  joint;  and  a  hair  of  his  head  shall 
not  fall  to  the  ground  unnoticed.  And 
they  shall  not  go  hungry,  neither  athirst. 

"And  whoso  receiveth  you,  there  I 
will  be  also,  for  I  will  go  before  your 
face.  I  will  be  on  your  right  hand  and 
on  your  left,  and  my  Spirit  shall  be  in 
your  hearts,  and  mine  angels  round 
about  you,  to  bear  you  up."  (D&C 
84:80,  88.) 

God  bless  us  all  and  bless  the  mis- 
sionaries. They  are  looking  to  us  today 
for  guidance  and  direction  and  encour- 
agement. Let  us  give  it  to  them,  I 
pray  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

President  Henry  D.  Moyle  of  the 
First  Presidency  has  just  concluded 
speaking.  We  shall  now  hear  from  El- 
der Mark  E.  Petersen  of  the  Council  of 
the  Twelve. 


ELDER  MARK  E.  PETERSEN 

Of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


It  surely  is  a  great  inspiration  to  be  here, 
my  brothers  and  sisters.  I  am  grateful 
that  I  had  the  opportunity  with  you  of 
raising  my  hand  in  sustaining  the 
officers  presented  here  today.  With  all 
my  heart  and  soul  I  sustain  the  Presi- 
dent of  our  Church,  President  David  O. 
McKay,  as  the  prophet,  seer,  and 
revelator  of  the  Lord.  With  all  my  soul 
I  love  him  and  honor  him  and  am  very 
grateful  for  his  leadership. 

I  am  thankful  for  these  men  who  have 
been  sustained  with  him.  Our  hearts 
all  go  out  to  President  Clark  who  is  not 
here;  our  faith  and  prayers  likewise.  I 
am  thankful  for  the  great  work  that 
President  Moyle  is  doing.  I  am  thank- 
ful that  President  Brown  has  been  called 
to  his  position. 

I  am  very  grateful  indeed  that  Gordon 
Hinckley  has  been  called  into  the 
twelve.  I  have  known  Gordon  most  of 
his  life  and  a  good  part  of  mine.  We 
grew  up  together  in  the  First  Ward  in 
Liberty  Stake.  His  father  was  our  stake 
president  for  much  of  the  time.  His 
father  was   as    close   to   me   as  my 


own  father  nearly,  and  I  loved  him  as 
a  father,  and  still  do. 

And  I  welcome  these  other  brethren, 
and  these  sisters,  and  I  join  with  all  of 
you  in  wishing  the  very  best  for  these 
who  have  been  released.  I  express  sin- 
cere appreciation  for  the  remarkable 
work  they  have  done. 

In  one  of  the  recent  editions  of  the 
US  News  and  World  Report,  the  editors 
commented  upon  the  trouble-making 
propensities  of  Mr.  Khrushchev.  They 
said  that  great  as  is  the  Berlin  crisis,  it 
will  not  be  our  last  one.  There  will  be 
others,  and  still  others  after  that,  be- 
cause Mr.  Khrushchev  is  determined  to 
cause  turmoil  wherever  and  whenever 
he  can.  They  branded  him  as  a  per- 
sistent troublemaker,  and  said  that  he 
seems  to  have  no  other  purpose  than 
to  cause  unpleasantness,  misery,  and 
contention. 

The  world  is  becoming  more  and 
more  resentful  of  the  constant  trouble- 
making  of  this  man.  International 
quarreling  and  bitterness  are  indeed 
affecting  the  nerves  of  all  mankind. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


48 

Saturday,  September  30 

Inhuman  treatment,  the  urge  to  take 
advantage  of  others,  cruelty,  lying,  mis- 
representation, deceit,  and  dishonor  are 
sickening  to  the  hearts  of  most  people. 
Every  honest  person  condemns  the 
duplicity  of  Mr.  Khrushchev.  Everyone 
resents  his  troublemaking,  his  un- 
pleasantness, his  inhumanity.  It  is  so 
deliberate,  so  coldly  calculated.  It 
seems  clearly  evident  that  an  evil  spirit 
motivates  this  man. 

But  let  us  stop  for  a  moment  and 
think  about  that  spirit.  It  is  evil  enough 
in  Khrushchev,  and  we  are  very  prompt 
in  condemning  it  in  him,  and  yet,  how 
do  we  regard  that  same  spirit  when  it 
appears  in  smaller  circles  and  not  upon 
the  broad  stage  of  international  politics? 
How  do  we  regard  unpleasantness,  con- 
tention, deceit,  misrepresentation,  cruel- 
ty, and  dishonor  in  our  communities 
here  at  home,  for  instance?  Or  among 
our  immediate  friends?  Or  in  our  office 
or  shop?   Or  even  in  our  family  circle? 

Are  these  evil  tactics  any  less  despic- 
able at  home  than  on  the  world  scene? 
Are  they  any  less  evil  if  found  in  our- 
selves than  when  exhibited  by  Mr. 
Khrushchev?  Is  quarreling  among  na- 
tions any  worse  than  quarreling  among 
members  of  a  family,  except  as  to  the 
number  of  people  involved?  Is  it  any 
worse  for  Khrushchev  personally  to 
assail  the  President  of  the  United  States 
than  for  a  husband  to  be  cruel  to  his 
wife  or  child?  Could  our  President  be 
any  more  offended  by  Khrushchev's  in- 
sults than  a  wife  who  is  insulted  and 
humiliated  by  a  thoughtless  or  vicious 
husband? 

Most  of  us  hate  Mr.  Khrushchev's 
wickedness,  but  do  we  excuse  similar 
traits  of  character  when  found  in  our- 
selves? Let  me  read  from  a  letter  I 
received  recently. 

"I  am  writing  to  ask  if  there  is  some 
way  you  can  help  me.  My  husband 
and  I  were  married  a  little  over  ten 
years  ago.  For  the  first  year  we  got 
along  all  right,  but  when  our  first  child 
came  my  husband  began  to  change.  I 
really  believe  he  was  jealous  of  the 
attention  I  gave  to  my  little  infant 
child.  He  was  very  upset  when  the 
baby  cried,  especially  at  night.  Once 
he  even  slapped  the  tiny  baby's  face.  I 
ran  to  take  the  baby  from  him,  and  he 


Second  Day 

struck  me  so  hard  that  he  knocked  me 
down. 

"It  has  been  like  that  in  our  home  ever 
since.  We  have  not  had  a  pleasant 
hour  in  months.  My  husband  never 
smiles  anymore.  When  he  comes  home 
from  work  a  spirit  of  gloom  and  hatred 
comes  into  the  house  with  him.  My 
little  boy,  now  nearly  nine,  is  afraid  of 
his  dad  and  runs  into  the  bedroom 
whenever  his  father  comes  home.  My 
little  girl  whimpers  at  his  sight.  I  have 
reached  the  point  where  I  feel  I  must 
choose  between  my  husband  and  my 
peace  of  mind.  The  doctor  says  that  if 
I  stay  with  him  my  children  and  I  will 
all  be  nervous  wrecks.  What  do  you 
think  we  should  do?" 

Then  I  received  this  from  a  young 
woman  seventeen  years  of  age.  "I  have 
decided  to  run  away  from  home.  I 
can't  stand  my  father's  cruelty  any 
longer.  I  have  tried  to  get  my  mother 
to  leave  home  with  me,  but  she  won't. 
She  is  superstitious  about  divorce  and 
would  rather  die  than  go  through  a 
divorce  court.  Why  must  we  have  such 
trouble  in  our  home?  I  always  thought 
home  was  a  place  to  enjoy." 

A  young  woman  came  into  my  office 
one  day,  and  she  was  the  saddest-looking 
girl  I  have  ever  seen.  She  and  her 
mother  did  not  get  along  well.  They 
had  entirely  different  ideas  on  nearly 
every  subject.  She  said  her  mother 
tries  to  run  her  life  for  her,  tries  to 
make  all  of  her  decisions,  chooses  her 
friends,  and  even  decides  what  clothes 
she  should  wear.  This  girl  planned  to 
leave  home  to  escape  the  constant 
quarreling  that  goes  on  in  that  home. 
I  did  not  hear  the  mother's  side  of  the 
story,  but  I  am  sure  she  has  one.  It 
takes  two  to  make  a  quarrel. 

When  I  think  of  the  divorce  prob- 
lems which  are  prevalent  in  so  many 
homes,  when  I  think  of  the  conflict  be- 
tween parents  and  children,  when  I 
hear  inflammatory  remarks  from  men 
and  women  who  should  know  better, 
when  I  see  the  pugnacious  attitude  of 
some  who  seem  to  enjoy  being  bullies 
in  their  own  homes,  when  I  see  how 
man's  inhumanity  to  man  makes  so 
many  others  mourn  even  close  about  us, 
I  wonder  if  we  really  are  a  peace-loving 
people. 


ELDER  MARK  E.  PETERSEN 


49 


I  wonder  how  much  we  Americans 
really  believe  in  the  teachings  of  the 
Prince  of  Peace.  I  almost  wonder  if  we 
believe  more  in  the  troublemaking 
philosophy  of  Khrushchev  than  we  do 
in  the  peace  philosophy  of  Christ. 

We  are  supposed  to  be  a  Christian 
nation.  Then  why  don't  we  act  as 
Christians  should?  Why  do  so  many 
act  more  like  Khrushchev  than  they  do 
like  Christ?  If  we  profess  to  believe 
in  the  teachings  of  Jesus,  why  don't  we 
obey  them?  Do  we  think  professions 
are  enough?  Must  we  only  pretend  to 
be  Christians? 

Are  the  works  of  Christianity  no 
longer  important?  Do  we  really  believe 
Jesus  when  he  said,  "Blessed  are  the 
peacemakers"?  (Matt.  5:9.)  If  we  do, 
then  why  do  we  not  do  more  to  establish 
peace  in  our  own  personal  circles,  in 
our  relationships  with  our  wives  and 
husbands  and  children?  Why  don't  we 
plan  for  and  promote  courtesy,  love,  and 
kindness  in  our  homes?  Is  family  ten- 
sion any  more  to  be  desired  than  world 
tension?   Must  we  have  either  or  both? 

Is  an  evil  dictator  any  worse  in  a 
nation  than  in  a  family,  so  far  as  the 
affected  people  are  concerned? 

Is  it  a  sign  of  strength  to  be  quarrel- 
some and  unpleasant?  Does  might 
make  right  in  a  nation  or  in  a  shop  or 
in  a  family?  Are  any  of  us  so  blind 
that  we  think  that  one  member  of  the 
family  can  always  be  right  and  nobody 
else?  Can  we  be  so  deceived  by  our 
egotism  that  we  suppose  that  like  the 
king  we  can  do  no  wrong,  that  we  can 
be  domineering  and  tyrannical  in  our 
own  little  circle  with  impunity? 

If  you  quarrel  with  your  wife,  have 
you  thought  that  you  might  be  moti- 
vated by  the  same  spirit  which  moves 
Khrushchev  when  he  quarrels  with  the 
President  of  the  United  States? 

If  you  are  contentious  in  your  family, 
or  quarrelsome  with  your  neighbors,  or 
even  with  your  brethren  and  sisters  in 
the  Church,  have  you  thought  that  you 
might  be  motivated  by  the  same  spirit 
which  also  moves  Khrushchev?  How 
different  from  him  are  we  if  the  same 
evil  spirit  motivates  us  both? 

When  the  Savior  came  among  the 
Nephites  after  his  resurrection  in  Pales- 
tine, he  taught  these  early  Americans  a 


most  important  lesson  on  this  point. 
Said  he:  ".  .  .  there  shall  be  no  disputa- 
tions among  you,  as  there  have  hitherto 
been; 

".  .  .  he  that  hath  the  spirit  of  con- 
tention is  not  of  me,  but  is  of  the  devil, 
who  is  the  father  of  contention,  and  he 
stirreth  up  the  hearts  of  men  to  contend 
with  anger,  one  with  another. 

"Behold,  this  is  not  my  doctrine,  to 
stir  up  the  hearts  of  men  with  anger, 
one  against  another;  but  this  is  my  doc- 
trine, that  such  things  should  be  done 
away."  (3  Nephi  11:28-30.) 

Let  us  think  seriously  about  that 
scripture:  the  spirit  of  contention  is  the 
spirit  of  the  devil,  who  is  the  father  of 
contention!  Can  we  suppose  that  any 
of  us  can  do  the  work  of  Christ  if  we 
have  the  spirit  of  contention  in  our 
hearts  or  in  our  homes?  Can  we  do  the 
work  of  God  by  the  spirit  of  the  devil? 

We  are  engaged  in  the  Lord's  work. 
Then  we  should  be  guided  by  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  and  not  by  some  contrary 
spirit.  We  should  not  invite  into  our 
homes  the  spirit  of  Satan  himself  by 
engaging  in  family  quarrels,  contention, 
and  arguments. 

No  one  needs  to  be  grouchy.  No  one 
needs  to  be  unpleasant.  Everyone  can 
control  his  emotions  if  he  wants  to,  just 
as  he  can  control  his  appetites. 

People  can  be  kind  if  they  want  to 
be  kind.  They  can  be  considerate  if 
they  want  to  be.  They  can  be  peace- 
ful if  they  would  but  try.  They  can  be 
thoughtful  and  considerate  of  others 
if  they  but  have  the  desire.  Why  even 
Khrushchev  can  smile  and  polish  apples 
when  he  wants  to. 

If  we  expect  to  do  the  work  of  Christ, 
let  us  follow  the  Savior's  teachings. 

He  is  the  Prince  of  Peace.  Then 
should  we  not  be  peacemakers? 

He  is  the  Author  of  mercy.  Then 
should  we  not  be  merciful? 

He  is  the  personification  of  love.  Then 
should  we  not  practise  the  principles  of 
love  which  he  gave  us? 

How  can  we  forget  the  words  of 
Paul? 

"Though  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of 
men  and  of  angels,  and  have  not  charity, 
I  am  become  as  sounding  brass,  or 
a  tinkling  cymbal. 

"Charity  never  faileth:  .  .  . 


50 

Saturday,  September  30 

"And  now  abideth  faith,  hope,  char- 
ity, these  three;  but  the  greatest  of 
these  is  charity."  (1  Cor.  13:1,  8,  13.) 

And  what  is  charity?  It  is  the  pure 
love  of  Christ.  Has  it  any  place  in  our 
lives?  In  our  homes?  In  our  family 
circles? 

Do  we  have  love  at  home?  If  we  are 
without  it,  are  we  truly  practising  our 
religion?  What  qualifies  us  as  followers 
of  Christ?  The  Lord  gave  the  answer 
to  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  in  these 
words: 

"And  faith,  hope,  charity  and  love, 
.  .  .  qualify  him  for  the  work."  (D&C 
4:5.)  Then  he  added  temperance, 
patience,  brotherly  kindness,  godliness, 
humility.  Is  there  any  godliness  in 
a  family  quarrel?  Or  any  kindness  or 
charity  or  mercy? 

Eliminate  unkindness  from  the  homes 
of  America  and  we  will  pretty  well 
eliminate  divorce  from  this  land. 

In  this  day  of  trouble  it  ill  becomes 
any  of  us  to  pattern  our  lives  and  our 
habits  after  the  arch  troublemaker  of 
the  world.  He  is  contentious,  he  is 
quarrelsome,  he  is  bitter,  he  is  cruel.  Do 
we  want  to  be  like  him? 

Is  it  not  better  to  remember  our  own 
religion  and  develop  without  ourselves 
the  spirit  of  love  and  kindness  and 
mercy?  Isn't  it  better  to  have  love  at 
home  than  a  house  full  of  bitterness, 
quarreling,  and  broken  hearts? 

Isn't  there  room  for  courtesy  and 
consideration  in  our  homes?  Should 
not  a  man  be  as  courteous  to  his  wife 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Second  Day 

after  marriage — ten  years,  twenty  years 
after  marriage — as  he  was  during  his 
courting  days? 

Should  we  not  learn  to  love  our 
neighbor  as  ourselves,  and  is  not  wife 
or  husband  our  closest  neighbor? 

Should  not  the  spirit  of  prayer,  the 
Spirit  of  God,  pervade  our  homes  instead 
of  the  spirit  of  bitterness  and  strife? 
Ask  yourself  what  spirit  is  in  your 
home,  and  ask  yourself  whose  path  you 
wish  to  follow.  Will  it  be  that  of 
Khrushchev,  or  of  Christ? 

God  give  us  the  wisdom  and  the 
courage  to  be  kind,  I  pray  in  Jesus' 
name.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  Mark  E.  Petersen  of  the  Council 
of  the  Twelve  has  just  addressed  us. 
The  University  of  Utah  Mixed  Chorus 
and  Congregation  will  now  sing,  "Praise 
To  The  Man  Who  Communed  With 
Jehovah,"  directed  by  Ardean  W.  Watts. 

After  the  singing,  Elder  Alvin  R. 
Dyer  will  address  us. 

The  Congregation  and  the  Chorus 
joined  in  singing  the  hymn,  "Praise 
To  The  Man  Who  Communed  With 
Jehovah." 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  Alvin  R.  Dyer,  Assistant  to  the 
Twelve,  and  president  of  the  European 
Mission,  will  now  speak  to  us. 


ELDER  ALVIN  R.  DYER 

Assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


I  feel,  my  brethren  and  sisters,  to  be 
at  one  with  that  which  has  been  accom- 
plished here  this  day  to  honor  those 
who  have  been  released  from  their 
callings  and  to  hail  those  who  have 
received  a  new  responsibility. 

I  feel  grateful  to  the  First  Presidency 
for  the  privilege  of  coming  to  this  con- 
ference. I  need  the  strength,  I  need  the 
association  of  the  brethren,  and  I  need 
to  look  into  your  faces  and  to  see  there 
the  love  of  the  gospel  and  the  faith 
manifested,  wbich  enables  me  to  go 


forth  in  my  responsibility  to  a  greater 
degree. 

I  have  felt  since  the  opening  and 
challenging  remarks  of  President  McKay 
that  if  a  phrase  could  be  given  to  set 
the  theme  of  this  conference,  and  I  am 
not  trying  to  set  it,  but  to  me  it  is  some- 
thing like  this,  that  we  should  put  on 
the  whole  armor  of  God  and  be  prepared 
for  the  important  days  that  are  ahead 
of  us.  And  if  perchance  we  have  not 
put  on  the  whole  armor,  then  we  now 
bave  this  challenge  again  from  our 


ELDER  ALVIN  R.  DYER 


51 


prophet  that  we  place  upon  ourselves 
a  renewed  determination  to  fortify  our- 
selves with  the  powers  and  the  callings 
that  have  come  to  us  to  go  forth  and 
accomplish  the  work  which  the  Lord 
has  given  us  to  do. 

I  am  grateful  for  the  faith  and  prayers 
of  the  members,  for  the  authority  of  the 
priesthood  that  has  extended  peace  in 
the  earth,  at  least  to  the  extent  that  we 
now  feel  it,  so  that  the  great  work  which 
the  Lord  has  caused  to  be  restored  upon 
the  earth  can  continue.  I  felt  in  the 
organization  of  Berlin  Stake  that  the 
power  of  the  priesthood  in  a  measure 
could  forestall  and  prevent  the  unjust 
dominion  that  could  prevent  the  work  of 
God  going  forth  in  these  ancient  lands 
of  Europe,  and  to  be  there  and  to  feel 
of  this  spirit  and  power  was  indeed  a 
great  experience. 

The  work  continues  to  progress  in 
Europe  to  keep  pace  with  the  rest  of  the 
Church,  and  for  this  we  are  grateful. 
Many  thousands  of  wonderful  people 
are  accepting  the  gospel  in  these  ancient 
lands.  Many  very  prominent  men  and 
women  are  answering  the  call  that  has 
come  to  them  through  the  efforts  of  the 
missionaries,  and  in  the  gospel  net  we 
are  finding  men  of  great  influence  and 
importance  as  well  as  those  of  the 
ordinary  walks  of  life. 

As  I  looked  into  the  face  of  a  very 
renowned  architect  from  Munich  just 
a  few  days  ago,  a  man  who  has  gained 
world  recognition  in  papers  that  he  has 
prepared  in  his  profession,  I  said,  "I 
would  ask  you  but  one  question,"  (he 
has  been  a  member  of  the  Church  only 
a  month,)  "do  you  believe  that  God 
actually  talked  to  the  Prophet  Joseph 
Smith  and  that  he  introduced  to  him  his 
Son?"  He  said,  "Yes,  I  believe  that  with 
all  my  heart,  and  I  believe  more,  and  I 
want  to  serve." 

This  is  typical  of  the  many  thousands 
who  are  accepting  the  gospel  and  who 
want  to  serve  their  Heavenly  Father. 

We  are  living  in  a  tremendous  age, 
my  brethren  and  sisters.  It  is  a  day  of 
great  progress,  of  change,  of  rapid  ad- 
vance. The  very  structure  of  our  civi- 
lization, social,  political,  commercial, 
moral,  and  religious  is  greatly  affected 
by  that  which  persists  before  our  eyes 
this  day.   There  can  be  no  question  that 


a  new  era  has  dawned  upon  our  planet. 
Means  of  travel,  trade,  association,  and 
intercommunication  between  countries, 
even  comparatively  unknown,  is  before 
us.  But  while  in  almost  every  field  of 
science,  every  art  is  being  developed 
while  the  mind  is  awakened  to  new 
thought,  yet  religious  knowledge  in  the 
world  is  at  a  standstill.  The  creed  of  the 
fathers  cast  in  the  mold  of  other  ages 
shows  no  progress  to  match  the  onward 
strides  of  man. 

I  am  indebted  to  Brother  Ezra  Taft 
Benson  for  an  article  which  he  sent  to 
me,  which  typifies  in  measure  the  failure 
of  the  powers  of  Christendom  to  attract 
their  members  to  the  churches  in  Eu- 
rope. In  Denmark,  for  example,  less 
than  one-half  of  one  percent  of  the 
population  retains  any  active  church 
connection.  Sweden  is  a  little  better. 
In  one  Swedish  parish,  says  Russell  Kirk, 
in  a  recent  article  in  the  The  National 
Review,  a  Swedish  minister,  after 
preaching  for  five  years,  found  only  his 
immediate  friends  and  family  attending 
regularly. 

The  Church  of  England,  though  by 
law  established,  obtains  the  active  par- 
ticipation of  only  five  percent  of  the 
English  population.  The  English  dis- 
senting churches  are  in  a  worse  plight. 
Continuing  this  article,  Russell  Kirk  has 
this  to  say: 

"What  we  are  seeing  rather  is  the 
dropping  away  of  most  people  into  a 
state  of  apathy  and  disbelief,  though  not 
even  the  fervent  disbelief  of  the  village 
atheist.  A  vague  feeling  that  Christianity 
does  not  profit  a  man  in  any  material 
way,  and  a  vaguer  conviction  that  some- 
how religion  is  unscientific,  seem  to  be 
the  approximate  causes  of  this  phenome- 
na. Probably  there  is  less  religious  belief 
and  less  influence  of  churches  upon  the 
civil-social  order  and  upon  the  person 
than  in  any  other  period  in  the  history 
of  Europe." 

I  suppose  in  America  we  find  this 
same  condition.  Yet  as  we  declare  it, 
and  as  fully  predicted  by  the  prophets 
of  God,  the  Spirit  of  God  has  been 
poured  out  upon  all  mankind.  As  proof 
of  this  I  call  your  attention  to  the  tre- 
mendous strides  that  have  been  made  in 
the  world  since  the  restoration  of  the 
gospel. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


52 

Saturday,  September  30 

I  remember  as  a  young  man  sending 
to  a  renowned  encyclopaedic  organiza- 
tion a  request  for  information  of  all 
advancements  that  had  been  made  since 
the  year  1820  in  the  fields  of  science, 
and  within  a  matter  of  several  months, 
I  was  flooded  with  information  from 
them  to  indicate  the  tremendous  manner 
in  which  the  Spirit  of  God  has  rested 
upon  people  since  the  day  that  Joseph 
Smith  walked  into  the  Sacred  Grove. 

How  tremendously  in  keeping  with 
his  will  that  such  enlightment  upon 
man  should  come  as  the  result  of  a 
restoration  of  truth  and  the  very  pres- 
ence of  God,  but  that  which  man 
participates  in  today  in  a  scientific  way 
is  only  the  minute,  is  only  a  fragmentary 
part  of  the  light  that  has  shone  into 
the  darkness,  that  brings  to  man  by 
divine  intervention  the  truths  of  the 
eternal  law  of  salvation,  which  if  ap- 
propriated can  lead  to  eternal  life  in 
the  presence  of  God. 

I  have  always  felt  impressed  by  an 
article  which  appeared  in  one  of  our 
Church  publications  some  few  years 
ago  that  told  of  a  newspaper  reporter 
who  left  New  York  to  go  to  Nauvoo, 
Illinois,  in  the  year  1842,  and  after 
spending  considerable  time  there  and 
after  meeting  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith, 
he  returned  to  New  York  to  have  pub- 
lished in  the  New  York  Herald  in  that 
year  this  article  concerning  Joseph 
Smith.   I  quote: 

"Joseph  Smith  is  undoubtedly  one  of 
the  greatest  characters  of  the  age.  In 
the  present  infidel,  irreligious,  ideological 
age  of  the  world,  some  such  singular 
prophet  as  Joseph  Smith  is  required  to 
preserve  the  principles  of  faith  and  to 
plant  some  new  germs  of  civilization 
that  will  come  to  maturity  in  the  years 
that  are  ahead,  while  modern  philoso- 
phy which  believes  in  nothing  but  what 
you  can  touch  is  overspreading  the 
Atlantic  States  in  America,  Joseph  Smith 
is  creating  a  spiritual  system  combined 
also  with  morals  and  industry  that  will 
change  the  destiny  of  the  race."  (George 
Q.  Cannon,  Life  of  Joseph  Smith, 
p.  324.) 

Joseph  Smith  under  the  direction  of 
God  did  establish  this  system;  a  system 
of  divine  truth  made  possible  by  divine 
bestowal  from  holy  messengers  and  by 


Second  Day 

revelations  which  provide  guidance  and 
direction,  and  this  as  revealed  to  Joseph 
Smith  is  for  the  specific  purpose,  as 
referred  to  in  the  Doctrine  and 
Covenants,  ".  .  .  that  every  man  might 
speak  in  the  name  of  God  the  Lord, 
even  the  Savior  of  the  world; 

"That  faith  also  might  increase  in 
the  earth; 

"That  mine  everlasting  covenant 
might  be  established; 

"That  the  fulness  of  my  gospel  might 
be  proclaimed  by  the  weak  and  the 
simple  unto  the  ends  of  the  world,  and 
before  kings  and  rulers."(D&C  1:20-23.) 

Obedient  to  the  predictions  of  this 
day  and  age  and  by  all  of  the  holy 
prophets,  it  is  not  religious  opinion 
which  will  cover  the  earth,  nor  knowl- 
edge from  scientific  advancement  reach- 
ing into  the  hearts  of  every  good  man 
and  woman,  but  it  is  faith,  leading  to 
the  testimony  and  spiritual  conviction 
of  God  that  is  needed,  for  God  is  truth 
and  to  know  him  is  to  know  the  truth. 

Never,  I  suppose,  have  there  been  so 
many  brilliantly  intellectual  people 
upon  the  earth,  judged  by  the  known 
facts  of  the  sciences  and  of  human 
knowledge,  and  yet  there  is  a  tremendous 
lack  of  direction  among  mankind.  Re- 
cently, Eric  Johnston  made  the  state- 
ment that  ninety  percent  of  all  the 
scientists  who  ever  lived  are  living 
today,  and  the  total  accumulation  of 
scientific  knowledge  is  doubling  every 
ten  years,  and  yet  there  is  a  tremendous 
lack  of  direction  in  spiritual  things 
which  undoubtedly  is  contributing  to 
the  failure  of  people  to  attend  churches 
and  to  be  benefited  by  the  teachings  of 
their  own  faith. 

Recently  one  of  our  inquiring  think- 
ers, a  noted  American  mental  health 
leader,  Dr.  Karl  Menninger,  made  this 
statement: 

"Most  people  today  live  without  pur- 
pose and  without  significance.  They 
have  no  articulate  philosophy.  They  do 
not  live  within  any  frame  of  reference." 

It  is  obvious  that  the  lack  of  direction 
lies  principally  in  the  failure  of  people 
to  have  a  true  understanding  of  God 
and  his  purposes.  To  get  this  it  must 
come  from  the  expressed  will  of  God 
through  a  prophet,  yes,  a  prophet  here 
today  upon  the  earth  as  the  oracle  of 


PRESIDENT  DAVID  O.  McKAY 


53 


God,  and  not  from  concepts  of  a  musty 
and  deceptive  antiquity,  nor  from  a  so- 
called  age  of  reason  imposed  upon  us 
because  of  scientific  exploration. 

Here,  my  brethren  and  sisters,  is 
reality.  Honest  and  good  men  must 
come  to  know  this,  must  adjust  to  it, 
welcome  it,  and  meet  it  as  a  friend  and 
know  that  it  is  God's  will.  And  for 
this  reason  these  young  men  that  Presi- 
dent Moyle  spoke  of,  and  others  with 
them,  go  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  to 
proclaim  this  great  message,  that  is  for 
the  restoring  of  a  knowledge  and  under- 
standing of  God  and  of  the  meaning  and 
the  purpose  of  life  here  upon  the  earth. 

God  has  spoken  to  us.  Let  us  listen 
to  his  oracles  and  have  unveiled  to  us 
the  realms  of  eternal  life. 

I  cannot  help  saying  a  few  words 
about  the  powers  of  unjust  dominion. 
I  have  appreciated  the  remarks  of 
Brother  Mark  E.  Petersen  concerning 
this,  but  there  is  an  evil  force  that  is 
contemporary  with  the  powers  of  right- 
eousness that  will  bring  release  and  joy 
to  the  individual,  and  we  see  the  power 
of  this  unrighteous  dominion  as  it  is 
now  being  brought  to  bear  upon  the 
peoples  of  subjected  countries.  I  have 
witnessed  it.  I  have  looked  into  the 
faces  of  those  who  are  being  imposed 
with  this  force. 

We  had  the  experience  in  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Berlin  Stake  of  placing  in 
the  high  council  of  that  stake  a  man 
who  only  a  few  weeks  before  had  been 
with  his  wife  in  East  Berlin.  Upon  a 
certain  day  he  left  East  Berlin  to  go 
to  West  Berlin  to  visit  friends,  leaving 
his  wife  in  their  home.  While  he  was 
visiting  his  friends,  the  barricade  was 
erected,  and  he  was  unable  to  return  to 
his  wife,  and  she  unable  to  come  to 
him.  Yet  he  accepted  this  calling  and 
responsibility  and  said  he  felt  that  in 
the  wisdom  of  God,  things  would  be 
righted. 

But  we  see  here  the  effects  of  the 
unjust  and  unrighteous  dominion  upon 
the  rights  of  the  people. 

I  shook  hands  with  a  brother  from 
East  Berlin  who  had  had  an  accident 
in  his  work,  that  is,  I  shook  his  left 
hand  because  he  came  to  the  Berlin 
Stake  conference  with  an  amputation 
of  his  right  hand,  and  for  this  reason 


and  this  reason  alone,  he  and  his  wife 
and  his  two  children  were  in  West 
Berlin  caring  for  this  injury,  as  I  shook 
his  hand  he  said,  "I  would  gladly  give 
even  the  other  hand,  if  that  had  been 
necessary,  to  place  my  family  and  myself 
here  under  the  protective  custody  of  this 
part  of  Berlin." 

I  bear  testimony,  my  brethren  and 
sisters,  to  the  power  of  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ  in  the  lives  of  people,  that 
it  brings  release  to  them,  that  it  brings 
inward  joy  and  peace,  and  I  pray  that 
the  powers  of  righteousness  will  con- 
tinue in  the  earth  that  the  great  work 
that  is  occurring  in  these  ancient  lands 
of  Europe  and  in  lands  all  over  the 
world,  may  continue,  that  righteous  men 
and  women  by  the  thousands  may  listen 
to  the  call  of  the  gospel  and  come  in 
and  be  numbered  among  the  children 
of  our  Heavenly  Father,  and  I  bear  my 
testimony  to  you  of  the  truth  of  this 
message  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

He  to  whom  we  have  just  listened  is 
Elder  Alvin  R.  Dyer,  Assistant  to  the 
Twelve,  and  at  present  president  of  the 
European  Mission. 

The  University  of  Utah  Mixed  Chorus 
will  now  favor  us  with,  "All  People  That 
On  Earth  Do  Dwell,"  conducted  by 
Ardean  W.  Watts.  The  benediction  will 
be  offered  by  Voyle  L.  Munson,  presi- 
dent of  the  Wayne  Stake,  after  which 
this  Conference  will  be  adjourned  until 
two  o'clock  this  afternoon. 

We  thank  the  singers  this  morning. 
We  welcome  them  as  they  join  this  af- 
ternoon in  the  chorus  and  strings  from 
the  University  and  the  representatives, 
too,  of  our  Institute  at  the  University. 

The  Mixed  Chorus  wil  be  led  by  Ar- 
dean W.  Watts,  and  Frank  W.  Asper  is 
at  the  organ:  "All  People  That  On 
Earth  Do  Dwell." 


Singing  by  the  University  of  Utah 
Mixed  Chorus,  "All  People  That  On 
Earth  Do  Dwell." 

The  closing  prayer  was  offered  by 
Elder  Voyle  L.  Monson,  president  of  the 
Wayne  Stake. 

Conference  adjourned  until  2  o'clock 
p.m. 


SECOND  DAY 
AFTERNOON  MEETING 


Conference  reconvened  Saturday  after- 
noon, September  30  at  2:00  p.m. 

President  David  O.  McKay,  who  pre- 
sided and  conducted  the  services,  an- 
nounced that  the  choral  music  for  this 
session  of  the  Conference  would  be 
furnished  by  the  University  of  Utah 
Institute  of  Religion,  University  Stake 
Chorus  and  the  Bonneville  Strings, 
David  A.  Shand  Director. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

The  following  telegram  was  just  re- 
ceived: "The  missionaries  and  members 
of  the  East  Central  States  Mission  send 
greetings  and  love  to  you  for  a  successful 
Conference.  President  and  Mrs.  Frank 
H.  Brown." 

We  wish  to  welcome  Mr.  James  E. 
Webb,  Director  of  the  National  Aero- 
nautics and  Space  Administration, 
Washington,  D.  C,  who  is  attending 
this  Conference  as  the  guest  of  Congress- 
man David  S.  King.  He  is  in  Utah 
inspecting  missile  plants  in  northern 
Utah. 

You  will  be  pleased  that  we  are  fav- 
ored this  afternoon  by  the  singers  of 
the  University  of  Utah  Institute  of 
Religion,  University  Stake  Chorus,  and 
the  Bonneville  Strings,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Professor  David  Austin  Shand, 
with  Alexander  Schreiner  at  the  organ. 

We  shall  begin  these  services  by  the 


Combined  Choral  Groups  singing,  "The 
Lord's  Prayer."  The  invocation  will  be 
offered  by  Elder  H.  Loren  Allen,  presi- 
dent of  the  Mesa  Stake. 

Singing  by  the  Chorus,  "The  Lord's 
Prayer." 

Elder  H.  Loren  Allen,  president  of 
the  Mesa  Stake,  offered  the  invocation. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

The  University  of  Utah  Institute  of 
Religion,  University  Stake  Chorus,  and 
the  Bonneville  Strings  will  now  favor  us 
with,  "Prayer  Is  The  Soul's  Sincere 
Desire."  David  Austin  Shand  is  con- 
ducting, Brother  Alexander  Schreiner  is 
at  the  organ.  After  the  singing  we 
shall  hear  from  Elder  William  J.  Critch- 
low,  Jr. 

Singing  by  the  Chorus,  with  Bonne- 
ville Strings  and  organ  accompaniment, 
(Alexander  Schreiner  at  the  organ) 
"Prayer  Is  The  Soul's  Sincere  Desire." 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Our  first  speaker  this  afternoon  is 
Elder  William  J.  Critchlow,  Jr.,  Assist- 
ant to  the  Twleve.  He  wil  be  followed 
by  Elder  Marion  G.  Romney  of  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve. 


ELDER  WILLIAM  J.  CRITCHLOW,  JR. 

Assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


Forty-two  hundred  years  ago  or  there- 
about, there  arrived  upon  this  Ameri- 
can continent  a  company  of  people 
under  the  leadership  of  one  Jared  and 
his  brother.  They  came  out  of  the  val- 
ley of  Mesopotamia  where  the  Tower  of 
Babel  was  under  construction.  Our 
Lord  initiated  and  prospered  them  in 
their  migration,  and  upon  arrival,  he 
"swore  unto  the  brother  of  Jared,  that 
whoso  should  possess  this  land  of  prom- 
ise, from  that  time  henceforth  and  for- 


ever, should  serve  him,  the  true  and 
only  God,  or  they  should  be  swept  off 
when  the  fulness  of  his  wrath  should 
come  upon  them."  (Ether  2:8.) 

Sixteen  hundred  years  later,  our  Lord 
initiated  and  prospered  another  mi- 
gration of  people  to  this  continent.  They 
fled  from  Jerusalem  to  escape  a  Baby- 
lonian conquest.  Upon  arrival  the  Lord 
counseled  them  through  his  Prophet 
Lehi,  their  leader,  as  follows: 

".  .  .  Inasmuch  as  ye  shall  keep  my 


ELDER  WILLIAM  J.  CRITCHLOW,  JR. 


55 


commandments  ye  shall  prosper  in  the 
land;  but  inasmuch  as  ye  will  not  keep 
my  commandments  ye  shall  be  cut  off 
from  my  presence."    (2  Nephi  1:20.) 

Four  hundred  years  later,  these  people 
of  Lehi  discovered  a  colony  of  people 
who  had  also  fled  from  Jerusalem  to  es- 
cape the  Babylonians,  about  600  BC. 
Mulek,  son  of  the  Jewish  King  Zede- 
kiah,  was  a  royal  member  of  this  fleeing 
party.  The  people  of  Lehi  and  the  newly 
discovered  people  of  Mulek  united  and 
dwelt  together,  and  to  them  the  Lord 
repeated  his  promise  and  warning.  His 
prophet,  King  Benjamin,  uttered  it  from 
a  tower: 

"...  he  [our  Lord]  has  promised  you 
that  if  ye  would  keep  his  command- 
ments ye  should  prosper  in  the  land;  and 
he  never  doth  vary  from  that  which  he 
hath  said;  therefore,  if  ye  keep  his  com- 
mandments he  doth  bless  and  prosper 
you."  (Mosiah  2:22.) 

These  promises  and  warnings  to  the 
people  of  Jared,  Lehi,  and  Mulek  were 
directed  to  and  for  the  benefit  of  the 
people  who  lived  in  the  days  of  those 
prophets  who  gave  them  utterance;  in 
other  words,  they  were  for  local  con- 
sumption. They  were  also  engraved  on 
metal  plates,  which  the  prophets  pre- 
served for  the  benefit  of  rising  genera- 
tions. When  our  Lord's  prophet,  Mor- 
mon, abridged  those  records  about  324 
AD,  the  great  Jaredite  nation,  once 
numerous,  prosperous,  and  cultured,  had 
become  extinct.  They  failed  to  heed  the 
warning  and  were  "swept  off  when  the 
fulness  of  his  wrath"  came  upon  them 
(Ether  2:9);  they  had  "ripened  in  in- 
iquity." The  great  Nephite  nation,  at 
one  time  the  more  righteous  of  Lehi's 
descendants,  had  also  "ripened  in  in- 
iquity" and  had  similarly  become  ex- 
tinct. Our  Lord  again  had  kept  his  pro- 
mise: "They  shall  be  swept  off  when  the 
fulness  of  his  wrath  shall  come  upon 
them."  (Idem.) 

In  the  destruction  of  these  unright- 
eous people,  our  Lord  preserved  the  re- 
cords containing  his  promises  and  warn- 
ings. He  had  them  hid  up,  then  1,400 
years  later  he  had  them  brought  forth 
to  warn  the  inhabitants  of  this  land 
that  they  also  must  keep  his  command- 
ments, lest  they  be  "swept  off  when  the 
fulness  of  his  wrath  .  .  .  come  upon 
them."  Obviously,  Mormon's  abridgment 


was  written  to  us.  The  title  page  of  the 
abridgment,  known  as  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  says  it  was  "Written  to.  .  . 
the  .  .  .  Gentile —  Written  by  way  of 
commandment  .  .  .  Written  and  sealed 
up,  and  hid  up  unto  the  Lord,  that  they 
might  not  be  destroyed —  To  come  forth 
...  in  due  time  by  way  of  the  Gentile." 
Incidentally,  may  I  add,  the  title  page  is 
a  part  of  the  abridgment  and  not  the 
composition  of  Joseph  Smith.  (DHC 
1:71.) 

The  great  Prophet  Moroni,  son  of 
Mormon,  hid  up  the  records,  but  be- 
fore doing  so  he  added  a  terse  warning 
all  his  own — and  he  specifically  directed 
it  to  those  into  whose  hands  the  records 
would  subsequently  come.  He  called 
them  Gentiles. 

"And  this  cometh  unto  you,  O  ye 
Gentiles,  that  ye  may  know  the  decrees 
of  God — that  ye  may  repent,  and  not 
continue  in  your  iniquities  until  the 
fulness  come,  that  ye  may  not  bring 
down  the  fulness  of  the  wrath  of  God 
upon  you  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  land 
have  hitherto  done."  (Ether  2:11.) 

Who  are  the  gentiles  of  whom  this 
prophet  spoke?  President  Joseph  Field- 
ing Smith  said:  ".  .  .  We  are  of  the 
Gentiles!  By  this  I  mean  that  the  Latter- 
day  Saints  have  come  to  their  blessings 
through  the  Gentile  nations.  President 
Brigham  Young  .  .  .  said  that  Joseph 
Smith  was  a  pure  Ephraimite.  This  is 
true,  yet  Joseph  came  also  of  Gentile 
lineage.  So  do  most  all  members  of  the 
Church."  (The  Way  to  Perfection,  p. 
140.) 

The  prophecies  which  I  have  quoted — 
"written  to  the  Lamanites  .  .  .and  also  to 
Jew  and  Gentile" — are  repeated  in 
greater  or  lesser  detail  thirty-eight  times 
in  the  Book  of  Mormon.  Count  them  as 
you  read  it.  One  student  did  and  came 
up  with  that  total,  thirty-eight.  Surely, 
they  constitute  one  of  the  great  mess- 
ages of  that  book. 

Three  times  within  the  past  year  or 
so,  I  visited  in  stakes  where  I  found  the 
memberships  fasting  and  praying  for 
moisture.  And  three  times  before  I 
left  those  stakes  I  saw  their  prayers 
answered.  I  must  tell  you  about  one  of 
those  visits. 

I  found  the  members  fasting  with 
special  prayers — Saturday  noon  until 
Sunday  noon — for  much  needed  storms. 


56  GENERAL  CONFERENCE 

Saturday,  September  30  Second  Day 

Arising  Sunday  morning,  after  our  to  herald  one  stake's  failings  to  another; 
Saturday  prayers,  we  were  cheered  by  a  each  has  its  own.  Let  each  insert  its  own 
beautiful  light  covering  of  snow.  It  percentages,  they  will  differ  only  in  de- 
continued  to  snow  throughout  the  gree.  The  failings  are  a  common  fault, 
morning.  When  we  recessed  for  lunch,  Brigham  Young  had  something  to  say 
the  lawns  around  the  meeting  place  about  percentages: 
were  brilliant;  several  inches  of  heavy  ".  .  .  while  six-tenths  or  three-fourths 
wet  snow  blanketed  them.  Departing  in  of  this  people  will  keep  the  command- 
the  late  afternoon,  I  said  to  the  stake  ments  of  God,  the  curse  and  judgments 
president:  "Our  prayers  are  answered."  of  the  Almighty  will  never  come  upon 

"Yes,"  he  replied,  "but  Elder  Critch-  them,  though  we  will  have  the  trials  of 

low,  we  need  so  much  more!"  various  kinds,  and  the  elements  to  con- 

"How  much  more  do  you  deserve?"  tend  with."  (JD  10:335-6.) 

I  asked.  My  reply    puzzled  him — his  We  live  in  a  wicked  world  like  unto 

silence  invited  me  to  explain:  Babylon  of  old.  Our  latter-day  prophets, 

"At  noon,"  I  began,  "when  we  re-  like  the  prophets  of  old,  have  cried, 

cessed  the  conference,  nearly  all  of  the  "Come  out,   come  out  of  Babylon." 

congregation  departed  for  their  homes,  To  come  out  physically  presents  a  prob- 

where  1  suppose  they  broke  their  fast.  lem,  but  spiritually  it  is  possible,  and 

Many  failed  to  return  to  the  afternoon  spiritually  we  must  come  out  if  we 

session — because  of  the  storm.  Well,  it  are  to  prosper  in  the  land, 

may  have  been  because  I  was  the  after-  We  come  out  spiritually  when  we 

noon  speaker.  Nevertheless,  they  should  pay  honestly  our  tithes  and  offerings, 

have  returned.  I'm  sure  the  storm  didn't  We  come  out  spiritually  when  we  at- 

dampen  their  spirits — it  must  have  lifted  tend  to  our  priesthood  duties  and  attend 

them — their  prayers  were  answered."  our  priesthood,  Sacrament,  and  stake 

The  stake  president  was  disappointed  conference  meetings.  These  the  members 

with  the  attendance.  I  think  Heavenly  of  the  Church  have  been  commanded  to 

Father  was,  too,  and  I  think  he  cut  his  attend. 

blessing  short — at  least  the  storm  clouds  Once  in  the  dim,  distant  past,  our 

rolled  on  and  away  and  a  bright,  hot  Father's  children  turned  from  him.  Has 

afternoon  sun  quickly  erased  most  of  the  it  been  so  long  that  we  have  forgotten 

evidence  of  his  blessing.  Maybe  he  gave  how,  at  that  time,  he  cleansed  the  earth 

them  all  they  deserved.  "Only  fifteen  of  wickedness  with  a  flood?  Has  it  been 

percent  of  your  stake  membership  re-  so  long    that  we  have  forgotten  the 

turned    to  the  afternoon    meeting,"  I  warning:  "And  as  it  was  in  the  days  of 

said,  "and    I  have  noted  in   your  re-  Noe,  so  shall  it  be  also  in  the  days  of 

ports  that:  the  Son  of  man"?  (Luke  17:26.)  Have 

"—only  %  of  your  members  are  we  forgotten  how  God  spared  a  city  of 

on  the  tithing  records.  righteous  people,   Enoch's   people  by 

"—only  %  of  your  members  at-  translating  them  before  the  flood? 

tend  Sacrament  meetings.  In  the  great  holocaust  to  come,  the 

"  only  %  of  your  men  attend  earth  will  again  be  cleansed  of  wicked- 
priesthood  meetings.  ness  as  'l  was  in  the  days  of  Noah,  and 

«_only  %  of  your  boys  attend  God  may  spare  again  a  righteous  people, 

their  meetings.  six-tenths  or  three-fourths  of  this 

"_only  of  your  girls  attend  people  will  keep  the  commandments 

their  meetings  vjoq. 

"—only  '....%  of  your  sisters  attend  What  are  the  commandments  God 

Relief  Society  meetings  would  have  us  keep?  Three  serve  the 

"_only  %  of  your  boys  and  subject  of  my  theme.  He  has  instructed 

girls  are  married  in  the  temple.  us: 

"—only  %  of  your  members  re-  1-  to  attend  stake  conference. 

ceive  ward  teaching  visits.  2.  to  attend  Sacrament  meetings. 

So  much  for  blanks  and  percentages.  3.  the  priesthood  bearers  to  attend 

These  are  enough.  For  obvious  reasons  their  priesthood  meetings. 

I  left  the  percentages  blank;  no  need  to  In  the  process  of  abridging  the  Neph- 

herald  our  failings  to  the  world;  no  need  ite  records,  the  great  Prophet  Mormon 


ELDER  MARK 

paused  to  meditate  on  our  Lord's  min- 
istry of  nearly  1,000  years  over  the  early 
inhabitants  of  this  continent,  and  he 
expressed  his  reflections  in  an  "edi- 
torial" which  he  inserted  in  his  abridg- 
ment. He  wrote: 

"And  thus  we  can  behold  how  false, 
and  also  the  unsteadiness  of  the  hearts 
of  the  children  of  men;  yea,  we  can  see 
that  the  Lord  in  his  great  infinite  good- 
ness doth  bless  and  prosper  those  who 
put  their  trust  in  him. 

"Yea,  and  we  may  see  at  the  very  time 
when  he  doth  prosper  his  people,  yea, 
in  the  increase  of  their  fields,  their 
flocks  and  their  herds,  and  in  gold,  and 
in  silver,  and  in  all  manner  of  precious 
things  of  every  kind  and  art;  sparing 
their  lives,  and  delivering  them  out  of 
the  hands  of  their  enemies;  softening  the 
hearts  of  their  enemies  that  they  should 
not  declare  wars  against  them;  yea, 
and  in  fine,  doing  all  things  for  the 
welfare  and  happiness  of  his  people; 
yea,  then  is  the  time  that  they  do  harden 
their  hearts,  and  do  forget  the  Lord 
their  God,  and  do  trample  under  their 
feet  the  Holy  One — yea,  and  this  be- 
cause of  their  ease,  and  their  exceedingly 
great  prosperity. 

"And  thus  we  see  that  except  the  Lord 
doth  chasten  his  people  with  many 
afflictions,  yea,  except  he  doth  visit 


J  G.  ROMNEY  57 

them  with  death  and  with  terror,  and 
with  famine  and  with  all  manner  of 
pestilence,  they  will  not  remember  him." 
(Helaman  12:1-3.) 

God  loves  us.  He  doesn't  always  love 
the  things  we  do. 

"As  many  as  I  love,  I  rebuke  and 
chasten:  .  .  ."   (Rev.  3:19.) 

"Verily,  thus  saith  the  Lord  unto  you 
whom  I  love,  and  whom  I  love  I  also 
chasten  that  their  sins  may  be  forgiven, 
for  with  chastisement  I  prepare  a  way 
for  their  deliverance  in  all  things.  .  .  ." 
(D&C  95:1.) 

Perhaps,  the  elements  may  be  a 
little  kindlier  next  year  if  we  remember 
him. 

Perhaps  we'll  be  a  little  more  de- 
serving next  year  if  we  remember  him. 
I  so  hope.  I  so  pray.  I  leave  you  my 
testimony:  God  lives  and  loves  us.  He 
answers  prayers,  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

He  who  has  just  spoken  is  Elder  Wil- 
liam J.  Critchlow,  Jr.,  Assistant  to  the 
Twelve.  Our  next  speaker  will  be  Elder 
Marion  G.  Romney  of  the  Council  of 
the  Twelve.  He  will  be  followed  by 
Elder  Thorpe  B.  Isaacson. 


ELDER  MARION  G.  ROMNEY 

Of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


My  brothers  and  sisters,  I  welcome 
wholeheartedly  into  the  councils  of  the 
Church  the  brethren  who  have  been 
called  to  service  this  day.  With  equal 
feeling,  I  express  my  appreciation  for 
the  services  of  those  who  are  retiring. 

I  would  like  to  say  a  further  word  or 
two  to  Brother  Buehner  and  Bishop 
Wirthlin.  I  first  came  to  know  Brother 
Buehner  in  the  early  days  of  the  welfare 
program.  He  was  then  president  of 
Granite  Stake.  He  rose  immediately 
to  meet  the  challenges  of  that  program. 
While  some  others  were  dragging  their 
feet,  he  did  a  tremendous  work  in  it, 
and  he  has  been  carrying  on  ever  since. 
He  knows  how  we  love  him. 

More  than  thirty-five  years  ago,  Bish- 


op Wirthlin  and  I  served  together  in  a 
seventies  quorum.  We  loved  him  then. 
We  loved  him  later  when  he  became 
bishop  of  the  ward  in  which  we  lived. 
Our  love  increased  when  he  became 
president  of  Bonneville  Stake.  I  apolo- 
gize for  the  bad  time  I  gave  him  while 
I  was  a  bishop,  and  he  was  president 
of  the  stake.  We  loved  him  when  he 
came  into  the  Presiding  Bishopric,  and 
we  still  do.  Joseph,  we  love  you  now 
more  than  we  ever  did.  The  Lord  loves 
you.  May  his  peace  be  with  you. 

While  President  McKay  was  talking 
yesterday,  these  lines,  written  by  Wil- 
liam Cowper,  came  to  mind.  In  them 
I  have  substituted  "faithful"  for 
"fearful": 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


58 

Saturday,  September  30 

"Ye  'faithful'  Saints,  fresh  courage 
take; 

The  clouds  ye  so  much  dread 

Are  big  with  mercy  and  shall  break 

In  blessings  on  your  head. 

"His  purposes  will  ripen  fast, 
Unfolding  every  hour; 
The  bud  may  have  a  bitter  taste, 
But  sweet  will  be  the  flower." 

Since  he  spoke,  I  have  been  thinking 
about  the  great  challenge  of  peace  and 
hope  which  the  President  gave  us  at 
the  close  of  his  opening  address.  It  is 
my  opinion  that  the  Latter-day  Saints, 
because  of  the  knowledge  they  have 
received  in  the  revelations,  are  better 
prepared  to  meet  the  perplexities  of  our 
times  than  any  other  people.  We  know 
more  about  the  difficulties  which  are 
coming,  and  we  have  the  key  to  their 
solution. 

I  suppose  that  most  people  have  a 
tendency  to  interpret  their  own  exper- 
iences and  world  affairs  in  the  light  of 
certain  standards  which  have  become 
fixed  in  their  thinking.  The  fact  that 
the  Lord  Almighty  will  take  care  of  his 
people  during  these  latter  days  of  stress 
and  trial  became  fixed  in  my  mind 
very  early. 

As  a  child  I  lived  in  a  land  torn 
by  a  devastating  revolution.  As  the 
contending  forces  pursued  each  other 
back  and  forth  through  the  country,  I 
became  greatly  disturbed  and  agitated. 
Well  do  I  remember  when  word  came 
that  the  rebels  were  marching  on  Chi- 
huahua City  from  Ciudad  Juarez  to  the 
north  and  that  the  Federals  were  march- 
ing on  the  same  city  from  Torreon  on 
the  south.  My  distress  turned  to  fright 
— in  fact,  to  terror — when  they  met  at 
Casas  Grandes,  just  ten  miles  away,  and 
the  shooting  began.  Some  of  our  more 
adventuresome  young  men  climbed  to 
the  top  of  the  Montezuma  Mountain 
where,  through  field  glasses,  they  could 
watch  the  fighting. 

Through  those  stirring  and  never- 
forgotten  childhood  experiences  it  was 
difficult  for  me  to  understand  this  doc- 
trine of  peace  in  one's  heart  while  there 
was  war  in  the  land.  But  even  then, 
my  fears  were  tempered  somewhat  as  I 
saw  and  listened  to  my  sainted  mother 


Second  Day 

lull  her  babies  to  sleep.  The  words  of 
the  songs  she  sang  comforted  me.  Some 
of  them  have  been  ringing  in  my  mind 
through  all  the  years  of  the  intervening 
half  century — these,  for  example,  from 

"Guide  Us,  O  Thou  Great  Jehovah": 
"When  the  earth  begins  to  tremble, 
Bid  our  fearful  thoughts  be  still; 
When  thy  judgments  spread  destruc- 
tion, 

Keep  us  safe  on  Zion's  hill." 

And  these  from  Parley  P.  Pratt: 

"Come,  O  thou  King  of  kings! 
We've  waited  long  for  thee, 
With  healing  in  thy  wings 
To  set  thy  people  free; 

"Come,  make  an  end  to  sin 
And  cleanse  the  earth  by  fire." 

And  from  W.  W.  Phelps: 

"In  faith  we'll  rely  on  the  arm  of 
Jehovah 

To  guide  through  these  last  days  of 
trouble  and  gloom; 

And  after  the  scourges  and  harvest  are 
over, 

We'll  rise  with  the  just  when  the 
Savior  doth  come." 

As  the  years  passed  and  I  became  ac- 
quainted a  little  with  the  scriptures,  I 
learned  that  the  brethren  who  had 
written  these  beautiful  lines  of  hope 
and  courage  had  learned  from  the  reve- 
lations that  the  Lord  would  take  care 
of  his  Saints  through  the  calamities 
which  he  foresaw  and  foretold.  Nephi, 
speaking  of  our  days,  said: 

"For  the  time  soon  cometh  that  the 
fulness  of  the  wrath  of  God  shall  be 
poured  out  upon  all  the  children  of 
men;  for  he  will  not  suffer  that  the 
wicked  shall  destroy  the  righteous. 

"Wherefore,  he  will  preserve  the 
righteous  by  his  power,  even  if  it  so  be 
that  the  fulness  of  his  wrath  must  come, 
and  the  righteous  be  preserved,  even 
unto  the  destruction  of  their  enemies  by 
fire.  Wherefore,  the  righteous  need  not 
fear;  for  thus  saith  the  prophet,  they 
shall  be  saved,  even  if  it  so  be  as  by 
fire."    (1  Nephi  22:16-17.) 

When  the  Lord  gave  by  revelation 
the  preface  to  the  Doctrine  and  Cove- 


ELDER  MARION  G.  ROMNEY 


59 


nants,  he  said  that  he  was  willing  to 
make  the  things  he  had  revealed  known 
unto  all  flesh; 

"For  I  am  no  respecter  of  persons,  and 
will  that  all  men  shall  know  that  the 
day  speedily  cometh;  the  hour  is  not 
yet,  but  is  nigh  at  hand,  when  peace 
shall  be  taken  from  the  earth,  and  the 
devil  shall  have  power  over  his  own 
dominion. 

"And  also  the  Lord  shall  have  power 
over  his  saints,  and  shall  reign  in  their 
midst,  and  shall  come  down  in  judgment 
upon  Idumea,  or  the  world."  (D&C 
1:34-36.) 

Jesus  himself  previewed  our  times 
and  the  days  to  follow.  As  he  stood  be- 
fore his  disciples  on  the  Mount  of  Olives, 
they  asked  him  concerning  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem  and  the  signs  of  his 
second  coming.  Replying,  he  told  them 
that  this  people  (the  generation  among 
whom  he  lived)  shall  be  destroyed  and 
scattered  among  all  nations  .... 

"But  they  shall  be  gathered  again; 
but  they  shall  remain  until  the  times  of 
the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled. 

"And  in  that  day  shall  be  heard  of 
wars  and  rumors  of  wars,  and  the  whole 
earth  shall  be  in  commotion,  and  men's 
hearts  shall  fail  them,  .  .  . 

"And  the  love  of  men  shall  wax  cold, 
and  iniquity  shall  abound. 

"And  when  the  times  of  the  Gentiles 
is  come  in,  a  light  shall  break  forth 
among  them  that  sit  in  darkness,  and 
it  shall  be  the  fulness  of  my  gospel; 

"But  they  receive  it  not;  for  they 
perceive  not  the  light,  and  they  turn 
their  hearts  from  me  because  of  the 
precepts  of  men. 

"And  in  that  generation  shall  the 
times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled. 

"And  there  shall  be  men  standing  in 
that  generation,  that  shall  not  pass  un- 
til they  shall  see  an  overflowing  scourge; 
for  a  desolating  sickness  shall  cover  the 
land. 

"But  my  disciples  shall  stand  in  holy 
places,  and  shall  not  be  moved;  but 
among  the  wicked,  men  shall  lift  up 
their  voices  and  curse  God  and  die. 

"And  there  shall  be  earthquakes  also 
in  divers  places,  and  many  desolations; 
yet  men  will  harden  their  hearts  against 
me,  and  they  will  take  up  the  sword,  one 
against  another,  and  they  will  kill  one 


another."  (Ibid.,  45:25-33;  Italics 
added.) 

I  -am  convinced  that  if  we  have  the 
peace  in  our  hearts  the  brethren  have 
been  talking  about,  we  must  learn  how 
to  preserve  it  in  our  hearts  in  the  midst 
of  trouble  and  trial.  I  know  that  if  we 
lived  the  gospel,  we  would  not  have 
war.  We  would  have  peace  if  enough 
people  lived  the  gospel,  but  for  my  single 
self  I  do  not  expect  them  to  do  so.  I  do 
not  expect  enough  people  to  repent  to 
spare  the  world  from  serious  trouble, 
and  I  think  the  scriptures  sustain  this 
conclusion.  But  I  return  to  the  Savior's 
words.  When  he  had  made  the  above 
quoted  statement  to  his  disciples,  he 
saw  that  they  were  troubled,  and  he 
said  to  them: 

".  .  .  Be  not  troubled,  for,  when  all 
these  things  shall  come  to  pass,  ye  may 
know  that  the  promises  which  have  been 
made  unto  you  shall  be  fulfilled  .... 

"And  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  he 
that  feareth  me  shall  be  looking  forth 
for  the  great  day  of  the  Lord  to  come, 
even  for  the  signs  of  the  coming  of  the 
Son  of  Man. 

"And  they  shall  see  signs  and  wonders, 
for  they  shall  be  shown  forth  in  heavens 
above,  and  in  the  earth  beneath. 

"And  they  shall  behold  blood,  and 
fire,  and  vapors  of  smoke. 

"And  before  the  day  of  the  Lord  shall 
come,  the  sun  shall  be  darkened,  and 
the  moon  be  turned  into  blood,  and  the 
stars  fall  from  heaven. 

"And  the  remnant  shall  be  gathered 
unto  this  place  [Jerusalem] ; 

"And  then  they  shall  look  for  me, 
and,  behold,  I  will  come;  and  they  shall 
see  me  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  clothed 
with  power  and  great  glory;  with  all 
the  holy  angels;  and  he  that  watches 
not  for  me  shall  be  cut  off  .  .  .  ." 

And  here  is  the  key. 

"And  at  that  day,  when  I  shall  come 
in  my  glory,  shall  the  parable  be  ful- 
filled which  I  spake  concerning  the  ten 
virgins. 

"For  they  that  are  wise  and  have 
received  the  truth,  and  have  taken  the 
Holy  Spirit  for  their  guide,  and  have 
not  been  deceived  .  .  .  shall  not  be  hewn 
down  and  cast  into  the  fire,  but  shall 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


60 

Saturday,  September  30 

abide  the  day."  (Ibid.,  45:35,  39-44, 
56-57.) 

"They  that  are  wise  and  have  received 
the  truth,  and  have  taken  the  Holy  Spirit 
for  their  guide,  and  have  not  been  de- 
ceived." I  think  we  are  not  safe  be- 
cause we  say  we  intend  to  do  what's 
right.  I  think  the  people  who  are 
safe  are  those  who  have  taken  the  Holy 
Spirit  for  their  guide  and  have  not  been 
deceived.  These  are  they  who  shall 
not  be  hewn  down  and  cast  into  the 
fire,  but  shall  abide  the  day. 

"The  earth  shall  be  given  unto 
them  for  an  inheritance."  This  earth 
isn't  going  to  be  inherited  by  our  ene- 
mies. 

"The  earth  shall  be  given  unto  them 
[who  have  'taken  the  Holy  Spirit  for 
their  guide,  and  have  not  been  de- 
ceived'] for  an  inheritance;  and  they 
shall  multiply  and  wax  strong,  and  their 
children  shall  grow  up  without  sin  unto 
salvation. 

"For  the  Lord  shall  be  in  their  midst, 
and  his  glory  shall  be  upon  them,  and 
he  will  be  their  king  and  their  law- 
giver."   (Ibid.,  45:58-59.) 

Now  I  think  the  Savior  was  talking 
about  the  Holy  Ghost  when  he  said, 
"those  who  have  taken  the  Holy  Spirit 
for  their  guide."  (Idem.)  The  Holy 
Ghost  is  the  spirit  of  truth.  To  have 
the  Holy  Spirit  with  us  as  he  speaks  of  it 
here,  and  as  I  have  now  said  what  I 
think  it  means,  is  to  be  guided  by  reve- 
lation from  heaven.  I  know  that  such 
guidance  can  be  had. 

When  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith 
went  to  Washington — I  believe  it  was 
in  1839 — with  Elias  Higbee,  he  had 
conferences  with  many  of  the  statesmen 
there — and  many  of  the  politicians  also. 
He  had  conferences  with  the  President 
of  the  United  States.  In  one  of  them 
Mr.  Van  Buren  asked: 

".  .  .  wherein  we  differed  in  our  reli- 
gion from  the  other  religions  of  the  day. 
Brother  Joseph  said  we  differed  in  mode 
of  baptism,  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  by  the  laying  on  of  hands.  We 
considered  that  all  other  considerations 
were  contained  in  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  .  .  ."  (History  of  the  Church, 
vol.  IV,  p.  42.) 

Now,  we  have  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Every  one  of  us  who  are  members  of 


Second  Day 

the  Church  has  had  hands  laid  upon  our 
heads,  and  we  have  been  given,  as  far  as 
ordinance  can  give  it,  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  But,  as  I  remember,  when 
I  was  confirmed,  the  Holy  Ghost  was 
not  directed  to  come  to  me;  I  was  di- 
rected to  "Receive  the  Holy  Ghost." 
If  I  receive  the  Holy  Ghost  and  follow 
his  guidance,  I  will  be  among  those  who 
are  protected  and  carried  through  these 
troubled  times.  And  so  will  you,  and 
so  will  every  other  soul  who  lives  under 
his  direction. 

Now,  my  brothers  and  sisters,  we  need 
to  seek  that  Spirit.  We  need  to  realize 
that  it  is  a  real  guide.  The  Lord  has 
given  us  several  tests  by  which  we  may 
know  when  we  have  that  Spirit. 

By  revelation  through  the  Prophet 
Joseph,  the  Lord  revealed  to  Oliver 
Cowdery  a  very  simple  test.  Oliver  was 
complaining  because  the  Lord  had  with- 
drawn from  him  the  gift  to  translate 
the  Book  of  Mormon  records.  The  Lord 
said  to  him: 

"Do  not  murmur,  my  son,  for  it  is 
wisdom  in  me  that  I  have  dealt  with 
you  after  this  manner. 

"Behold,  you  have  not  understood; 
you  have  supposed  that  I  would  give 
it  unto  you,  when  you  took  no  thought 
save  it  was  to  ask  me. 

"But,  behold,  I  say  unto  you,  that 
you  must  study  it  out  in  your  mind;  then 
you  must  ask  me  if  it  be  right,  and  if 
it  is  right  I  will  cause  that  your  bosom 
shall  burn  within  you;  therefore,  you 
shall  feel  that  it  is  right. 

"But  if  it  be  not  right  you  shall  have 
no  such  feelings,  but  you  shall  have  a 
stupor  of  thought  .  .  .  ."   (D&C  9:6-9.) 

Now,  I  tell  you  that  you  can  make 
every  decision  in  your  life  correctly  if 
you  can  learn  to  follow  the  guidance  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  This  you  can  do  if 
you  will  discipline  yourself  to  yield  your 
own  feelings  to  the  promptings  of  the 
Spirit.  Study  your  problems  and  prayer- 
fully make  a  decision.  Then  take  that 
decision  and  say  to  him,  in  a  simple, 
honest  supplication,  "Father,  I  want  to 
make  the  right  decision.  I  want  to  do 
the  right  thing.  This  is  what  I  think 
I  should  do;  let  me  know  if  it  is  the 
right  course."  Doing  this,  you  can  get 
the  burning  in  your  bosom,  if  your  de- 
cision is  right.    If  you  do  not  get  the 


ELDER  MARION  G.  ROMNEY 


61 


burning,  then  change  your  decision  and 
submit  a  new  one.  When  you  learn  to 
walk  by  the  Spirit,  you  never  need  to 
make  a  mistake.  I  know  what  it  is  to 
have  this  burning  witness.  I  know  also 
that  there  are  other  manifestations  of 
guidance  by  the  Spirit. 

I  know,  for  example,  what  Enos  was 
talking  about  when  he  said,  ".  .  .  the 
voice  of  the  Lord  came  into  my  mind 
again,  .  .  ."  He  did  not  say  it  came 
into  his  ear,  but  that  it  "came  into  my 
mind  again,  saying:  .  .  ."  He  had  been 
asking  the  Lord  to  bless  his  brethren, 
the  Nephites,  as  everyone  who  gets  the 
Spirit  asks  the  Lord  to  bless  his  brethren 
and  his  fellow  men.  ".  .  .  the  voice  of 
the  Lord  came  into  my  mind  again, 
saying:" — and  what  the  voice  said  is 
most  important — "I  will  visit  thy  breth- 
ren according  to  their  diligence  in  keep- 
ing my  commandments."  (See  Enos  10.) 

I  must  terminate  these  remarks.  But  I 
know  what  that  voice  is  like,  be- 
cause I  have  had  it  come  into  my  mind 
and  give  me  names  when  I  have  had 
to  select  stake  presidents.  There  is 
nothing  mysterious  about  it  to  people 
who  learn  to  be  guided  by  the  Spirit. 
The  voice  of  the  Lord  has  come  into  my 
mind,  in  sentences,  in  answer  to  prayer. 

Now  I  know,  brothers  and  sisters,  that 
we  can  be  guided  by  the  Spirit.  I 
counsel  you  to  seek  more  diligently 
through  earnest  prayer  the  guidance  of 
the  Spirit.  Learn  to  live  your  lives  by 
the  guidance  of  the  Spirit. 

I  think  every  Latter-day  Saint  ought 
to  go  on  his  knees  night  and  morning 
in  secret  prayer.  This  is  in  addition  to 
family  prayer,  which  we  should  also 
have  night  and  morning.  I  grew  up  in  a 
home  where  we  had  family  prayers  every 
night  and  morning.  A  good  time  to 
have  the  morning  family  prayer  is  just 
before  the  morning  meal.  And  a  good 
time  for  the  evening  prayer  is  just  before 
the  evening  meal.  That  is  the  way  it 
was  done  in  my  father's  home. 

In  my  wife's  father's  home  prayer 
was  had  just  before  the  morning  meal 
and  just  before  the  family  went  to  bed. 


When  my  wife  and  I  were  married,  we 
decided  that  I  would  make  all  the 
major  decisions  and  she  would  make  all 
the  minor  decisions.  I  think  that  the 
only  major  decision  we've  had  to  make 
was  when  to  have  evening  family 
prayer.  We  have  had  it  just  before 
the  evening  meal. 

But  what  I  am  talking  about  now 
is  secret  prayer.  I  have  always  been 
thrilled  with  the  statement  of  the  Sav- 
ior to  his  disciples  that  when  they 
prayed,  they  were  not  to 

".  .  .  do  as  the  hypocrites,  for  they 
love  to  pray,  standing  in  the  synagogues 
and  in  the  corners  of  the  streets,  that 
they  may  be  seen  of  men.  Verily  I  say 
unto  you,  they  have  their  reward. 

"But  thou,  when  thou  prayest,  enter 
into  thy  closet  and  when  thou  hast  shut 
thy  door,  pray  to  thy  Father  who  is  in 
secret;  and  thy  Father,  who  seeth  in 
secret,  shall  reward  thee  openly."  (3 
Nephi  13:5-6.) 

Oh,  that's  the  way  to  pray  to  reach 
the  Lord — all  alone,  where  you  are 
not  fashioning  prayers  for  the  ears  of 
any  mortal  person.  In  secret  prayer 
you  can  kneel  down  and  in  the  sincerity 
of  your  heart  pour  out  your  soul  to  God 
alone. 

The  path  from  man  to  God  is  prayer. 
Do  as  the  Book  of  Mormon  prophets 
advise:  "Pray  unto  the  Father  with  all 
the  energy  of  heart."  (Moroni  7:48.) 
The  answer  to  such  prayer  is  the 
guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The 
key  to  happiness  is  to  get  the  Spirit  and 
keep  it.  The  right  to  get  it  we  were  given 
when  we  were  confirmed  members  of 
this  Church.  Walk  by  it  back  into  the 
presence  of  God.  So  doing  we  will  not 
need  to  be  put  to  flight  by  our  troubles. 

God  bless  you,  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  Marion  G.  Romney  of  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve  has  just  con- 
cluded speaking.  Bishop  Thorpe  B. 
Isaacson  will  be  our  next  speaker. 


62 

Saturday,  September  30 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Second  Day 


ELDER  THORPE  B.  ISAACSON 

Assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


President  McKay,  President  Moyle,  Pres- 
ident Brown,  President  Smith,  my 
beloved  brethren  of  the  General  Author- 
ities, brothers  and  sisters:  I  had  prepared 
a  talk  that  I  thought  would  be  fitting  on 
the  subject  of  fasting,  fast  offerings,  and 
fast  day,  but  I  feel  today  that  it  would 
not  be  appropriate.  I  would  therefore 
like  to  save  this  subject  for  another  time. 

I  think  there  are  times  which  come  in 
every  man's  life  when  he  feels  that  he 
is  not  quite  up  to  the  situation  with 
which  he  is  confronted.  This  is  one  of 
those  times  for  me.  I  am  sure  you  can 
imagine  and  understand  that  I  have 
prayed  diligently  for  the  help  of  the 
Lord,  and  I  would  like  to  ask  you  if  you 
will  help  me.  I  think  it  was  fifteen 
years  ago  at  the  October  conference, 
when  the  death  of  that  great  man, 
Bishop  Marvin  O.  Ashton,  left  a  vacancy 
in  the  Presiding  Bishopric.  At  that 
time  I  was  called  to  the  councils  of  the 
Church  to  serve  as  second  counselor  to 
Presiding  Bishop  LeGrand  Richards, 
whom  I  regard  as  one  of  God's  noble 
servants. 

Then  after  some  years,  I  was  called 
to  serve  as  first  counselor  to  another 
choice  man,  Presiding  Bishop  Joseph  L. 
Wirthlin.  In  my  humble  opinion  Bishop 
Wirthlin  is  one  of  the  hardest  workers 
I  have  ever  known. 

If  anything,  probably  he  worked  too 
hard.  I  have  heard  him  say  many 
times,  "No  matter  what  the  brethren  ask 
me  to  do,  I  will  do  it." 

I  would  also  like  to  say  that  Bishop 
Carl  W.  Buehner  has  been  a  great 
strength  to  both  Bishop  Wirthlin  and 
to  me  in  the  Presiding  Bishopric. 

Yesterday  when  President  McKay 
called  us  to  his  office  and  told  us  of  our 
release  from  the  Presiding  Bishopric, 
he  asked  us  how  we  felt.  I  am  sure  he 
detected  that  we  felt  all  right  about  it, 
because  we  did  feel  all  right  about  it. 
This  morning  when  you  voted  to  give 
us  a  vote  of  thanks  as  you  released  us, 
I  am  sure  that  our  hands  went  higher 
than  any  others  in  the  building.  I  con- 
fess, President  McKay,  that  I  leaned 
over  to  Bishop  Wirthlin  and  said,  "That 


is  the  greatest  relief  I  have  had  in  fifteen 
years."  Then  in  about  two  minutes  and 
forty  seconds,  when  the  names  of  the 
General  Authorities  were  read,  I  nearly 
stood  up  to  ask  whether  they  were  being 
read  from  the  wrong  sheet.  When  I 
heard  my  name,  it  came  as  a  bolt  of 
lightning  to  me.  I  did  not  know,  nor 
did  I  expect,  nor  did  I  desire  such  a 
calling. 

But  talk  about  blessings!  I  haven't 
the  words  to  express  the  blessing  it  has 
been  for  me  to  be  associated  with  these 
brethren;  to  visit  in  the  wards  and  stakes 
of  the  Church.  A  few  weeks  ago  I  went 
to  a  stake  where  I  had  never  been  before. 
I  did  not  know  those  men,  I  had  never 
seen  them.  They  were  in  far-off 
Florida.  But  after  being  with  them  for 
only  two  days,  we  embraced  each  other 
as  I  left  those  choice  men  of  that  stake 
presidency. 

Can  you  imagine  that  kind  of  bless- 
ing in  any  other  work  in  the  world? 
I  would  not  take  anything  for  the  won- 
derful experiences  I  have  had  these  last 
fifteen  years,  although  at  times,  of 
course,  the  work  was  hard.  I  hope  you 
will  always  remember  that  none  of  these 
brethren  sought  the  positions  they  hold; 
that  every  one  of  them  is  probably  giv- 
ing more  than  his  physical  energy  would 
normally  permit.  I  have  said  to  my 
boys,  "If  there  is  any  work  that  has  to 
be  left  undone,  it  must  not  be  the  work 
of  the  Church." 

I  am  so  grateful  to  you  brethren  in 
the  wards  and  stakes  who  have  made 
us  feel  so  good  when  we  have  come  to 
you.  I  have  witnessed  the  blessings  of 
the  Lord,  and  I  have  seen  men  change. 
I  know  what  it  is  for  men  to  change.  I 
plead  with  all  the  senior  members  of 
the  Aaronic  Priesthood  whom  I  love  very 
deeply.  I  have  seen  many  of  them 
change,  because  when  you  once  catch 
the  Spirit  that  Elder  Marion  G.  Romney 
has  been  talking  about,  you  are  bound 
to  change,  and  you  will  always  change 
for  the  better.  I  know  what  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  is,  and  I  know  what  it  is 
not  to  have  it.  With  all  my  heart,  I 
plead  with  you  leaders  to  take  good  care 


ELDER  THORF 

of  the  senior  members  of  the  Aaronic 
Priesthood  and  not  let  those  fine  men 
stay  out  there  alone.  They  need  and 
deserve  your  help.  They  are  good  men. 
I  am  one  of  those  who  believe  the  Lord 
loves  them.  If  you  have  a  wayward 
son,  do  you  love  him?  Certainly  you 
do.  Well  then,  what  makes  you  think 
the  Lord  does  not  love  his  sons  who 
might  be  a  little  wayward? 

I  plead  with  the  senior  members  of 
the  Aaronic  Priesthood  to  make  them- 
selves available  for  activity  in  the 
Church.  I  know  what  it  is  to  have  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  I  know  what  it 
is  to  receive  inspiration.  Without  them, 
we  cannot  function  in  this  Church. 

I  ask  you  not  to  find  fault  with  your 
leaders.  We  are  not  perfect.  We  do 
not  profess  to  be.  But  we  are  trying  to 
live  as  close  to  the  Lord  as  we  know 
how.  I  think  when  you  allow  someone 
to  find  fault  with  your  bishop  or  your 
stake  president  or  one  of  the  General 
Authorities,  you  ought  to  raise  your 
voice  against  such  practice  because  that 
person  will  be  hurting  himself  more 
than  he  is  hurting  anyone  else. 

My  son  called  this  morning  and  said, 
"If  you  are  released  today,  I  do  not 
want  you  to  feel  bad,  because  we  have 
gone  fifteen  years  without  your  close 
association.  We  would  like  to  have  you 
home  a  little  bit."  My  daughter  said, 
"It  will  seem  good  to  have  you  home 
once  in  a  while."  They  were  both  quite 
happy  this  morning.  But  I  am  sure  they 
will  be  happy  now,  because  I  believe 
the  Lord  will  make  it  up  to  each  of 
them  in  some  way.  My  wife  has  been 
lonesome,  of  course,  and  she  had  looked 
forward  to  my  being  home  more.  The 
loyalty  of  my  wife  and  family  has  in- 
spired me  through  the  years.  Their 
love  has  sustained  me. 

There  is  nothing  in  the  world  like 
the  gospel  in  the  lives  of  men  and 
women.  A  short  time  ago  I  was  riding 
with  a  man  who  was  not  a  member  of 
this  Church.  I  asked  him  what  his 
faith  was,  and  he  said  he  didn't  have 
any  particular  faith.  I  said,  "You  do 
belong  to  a  church?" 

He  said,  "Yes." 

"What  does  your  church  do  for  you?" 
He  said,  "Nothing." 


:  B.  ISAACSON  63 

I  then  said,  "Do  you  attend  church?" 
"No." 

"Well,  what  do  you  do  for  your 
church?" 

"Nothing."  Then  I  thought  when 
he  said  the  church  had  done  nothing 
for  him,  it  was  probably  because  he 
had  done  nothing  for  the  church. 

Oh,  how  different  we  are!  What 
would  we  be  without  the  Church?  I 
think  all  of  us  here  would  say  that 
everything  we  have  and  all  that  we 
are  that  are  worthwhile  have  come  to  us 
because  of  the  blessings  of  the  Church 
to  our  parents,  our  grandparents,  and 
our  forebears.  Life  without  the  Church 
would  not  be  worth  living. 

I  would  like  to  thank  many  of 
those  who  have  assisted  me  in  my 
assignments  in  the  Presiding  Bishopric. 
Brother  Irvin  Nelson  takes  care  of  these 
grounds  and  lawns,  which  was  one  of 
my  assignments.  I  have  never  worried 
about  them  because  he  has  always 
taken  such  pride  in  them.  I  would  like 
to  thank  Brother  Samuel  Bateman  who 
has  been  the  head  custodian  of  this 
great  building  for  so  many  years.  He 
has  done  a  great  work. 

I  would  like  to  thank  J.  Frank  Marble 
and  his  staff  of  workers,  my  secretaries, 
Darcey  Wright  of  the  Church  Office 
Building,  our  hospital  administrators, 
and  our  boards  of  trustees. 

I  thank  Lee  A.  Palmer,  David  G. 
Thomas,  Henry  G.  Tempest,  N.  Keith 
Carroll,  and  Ray  L.  White  of  our  of- 
fice. They  have  been  wonderful  in 
helping  us  in  our  many  assignments. 

We  pledge  our  wholehearted  support 
to  the  new  Presiding  Bishopric,  Bishop 
John  H.  Vandenberg  and  his  counselors. 
We  know  a  little  of  the  details  with 
which  they  will  be  confronted.  We 
pledge  that  we  will  help  them  with 
every  ounce  of  energy  we  have  in  pick- 
ing up  the  loose  ends  and  getting  things 
in  order  with  as  little  delay  as  possible. 

I  bear  my  testimony  and  thank  God 
my  Father  for  life.  I  have  recognized 
that  he  was  kind  enough  to  spare  my 
life  when  I  had  an  illness  recently.  I 
want  to  do  that  every  day  as  long  as  he 
will  let  me  live.  I  thank  you,  my  breth- 
ren and  sisters,  for  being  so  tolerant 
with  me.  If  I  have  offended  any  one 
of  you  in  any  way,  (because  sometimes 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


64 

Saturday,  September  30 

I  am  quite  blunt)  I  wouldn't  want  to 
hurt  you,  and  I  ask  your  forgiveness. 

I  bear  testimony  to  you  that  I  love  the 
Lord.  He  has  been  so  good  to  me 
that  I  owe  him  everything.  I  know 
that  God  lives,  that  he  hears  my  prayers 
and  your  prayers.  I  couldn't  get  along 
a  day  if  I  could  not  go  to  him.  One 
of  the  most  peaceful  experiences  in  my 
life  is  when  I  follow  Elder  Romney's 
admonition,  when  I  can  find  a  spot 
alone.  I  endorse  that  to  you.  It  will 
give  you  strength,  peace,  comfort,  in- 
spiration, and  greater  faith. 

I  bear  testimony  to  you  that  I  know 
Joseph  Smith  was  a  prophet  of  God,  as 
I  know  President  David  O.  McKay  is 
a  prophet  of  God.  There  isn't  a  day 
that  I  do  not  pray  for  President  McKay 
— a  number  of  times,  and  for  every  one 
of  these  General  Authorities,  with  no 
exception.  I  regard  them  as  prophets 
of  God  and  servants  of  the  Lord.  Would 
you  ever  want  to  speak  unkindly  about 
a  servant  of  the  Lord?  Not  ever  again, 
if  you  ever  have. 

May  the  Lord  bless  us  that  we  may 
be  strong  and  that  we  may  move  for- 
ward with  the  Church.  The  Church  is 
growing  fast,  and  if  we  want  to  keep 
up  we  will  have  to  do  likewise. 


Second  Day 


God  bless  you.  May  he  watch  over 
us  all  and  give  us  the  strength  and  the 
faith  to  do  as  he  would  have  us  do,  I 
humbly  pray  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Amen. 


President  David  O.  McKay: 

We  have  just  listened  to  Bishop 
Thorpe  B.  Isaacson,  recently  released  as 
one  of  the  Presiding  Bishopric  and  sus- 
tained this  day  as  one  of  the  Assistants 
to  the  Twelve. 

The  combined  choral  groups  and 
congregation  will  now  sing,  "Come,  O 
Thou  King  of  Kings,"  conducted  by 
David  Austin  Shand.  After  the  singing 
Elder  LeGrand  Richards  will  speak  to 
us. 

The  Combined  Choral  Groups  and 
the  congregation  joined  in  singing  the 
hymn,  "Come,  O  Thou  King  of  Kings." 


President  David  O.  McKay: 

Our  next  speaker  is  Elder  LeGrand 
Richards  of  the  Council  of  Twelve.  He 
will  be  followed  by  Elder  Sill. 


ELDER  LEGRAND  RICHARDS 

Of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


I  feel  it  a  great  honor  and  privilege,  my 
brethren  and  sisters,  to  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  attending  this  conference  with 
you.  I  love  the  Saints  of  Zion.  I  thank 
the  Lord  for  my  association  with  my 
brethren  of  the  General  Authorities. 

I  think  it  would  be  appropriate  today 
if  I  should  pay  my  tribute  of  love  and 
respect  to  Bishop  Wirthlin  and  Bishop 
Isaacson.  As  the  Presiding  Bishop  of 
the  Church,  I  was  privileged  to  select 
counselors  from  all  the  priesthood  of  the 
Church,  and  I  selected  them  without 
any  duress  or  guidance,  except  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord,  and  they  were  wonderful 
counselors,  and  I  love  them  and  pray 
the  Lord  always  to  be  with  and  bless 
them.  I  love  Brother  Buehner,  too,  and 
I  welcome  these  new  men  who  have 
been  sustained  today  as  General  Au- 


thorities. I  am  sure  they  will  do  a  great 
work. 

I  am  very  happy  to  know  of  the  great 
progress  the  Church  is  making  in  the 
missionary  field.  I  am  sure  we  were 
all  thrilled  this  morning  in  hearing  the 
report  given  by  President  Moyle  of  the 
great  upsurge  and  increase  in  baptisms. 
I  think  I  have  been  a  missionary  nearly 
all  my  life.  When  I  was  just  a  little 
fellow,  I  remember  attending  a  ward 
meeting  where  two  missionaries,  return- 
ing from  the  Southern  States,  gave  their 
report.  I  do  not  know  whether  they 
said  anything  unusual  or  not,  but  if 
they  did  not,  the  Lord  did  something 
unusual  for  me,  because  when  I  left  that 
meeting  I  felt  that  I  could  have  walked 
to  any  mission  field  in  the  world,  if  I 
had  just  had  a  call,  and  so  I  went  home 


ELDER 


and  got  down  on  my  knees  and  asked 
the  Lord  to  help  me  to  live  worthy  to 
go  on  a  mission  when  I  was  old  enough 
to  go. 

Because  of  this  desire,  I  used  to  carry 
my  little  New  Testament  around  with 
me  often  and  memorize  scripture.  I 
have  had  a  wonderful  opportunity  in 
missionary  work. 

As  many  of  you  know,  I  have  had  the 
privilege  of  filling  four  missions  and 
presiding  over  two  and  touring  many 
of  them,  and  I  have  tested  this  Church 
and  its  teachings  in  every  way  that  I 
think  it  can  be  tested,  and  my  testimony 
increases  day  by  day,  and  I  have  never 
found  that  its  teachings  were  wanting  in 
any  way. 

The  Lord  has  established  his  Church 
according  to  the  promises  of  the  prophets 
and  according  to  the  blueprint  prepared 
by  him  as  contained  in  the  Bible  and  in 
the  Book  of  Mormon  and  the  Doctrine 
and  Covenants  and  the  Pearl  of  Great 
Price. 

I  could  tell  you  some  wonderful  ex- 
periences that  I  have  had  in  meeting 
people  not  of  us;  for  instance,  when  I 
was  in  Holland  on  my  first  mission  in 
the  city  of  Utrecht,  they  had  a  seminar 
where  they  taught  young  men  to  prepare 
for  the  ministry,  and  they  used  to  come 
and  attend  our  meetings,  and  then  they 
would  remain  sometimes  for  hours  at 
a  time  to  ask  questions,  and  we  found 
that  they  did  not  have  the  answers;  for 
instance,  one  of  them  said  to  me,  "You 
cannot  prove  that  baptism  should  be  by 
immersion."    I  said,  "Yes,  I  can." 

"Well,"  he  asked,  "how?" 

I  said,  "You  have  studied  some  Greek, 
haven't  you?"  and  he  admitted  that  he 
had,  and  I  said,  "What  does  the  word 
baptizo  mean?" 

He  said,  "Immerse." 

I  said,  "Why  don't  you  do  it?" 

Then  he  asked  me  this  question.  "Do 
you  think  the  Lord  will  hold  us  account- 
able if  we  teach  things  that  we  know 
are  not  in  harmony  with  the  Bible?" 

"Well,"  I  said,  "I  would  rather  let 
the  Apostle  Paul  answer  that  question," 
and  I  quoted  what  Paul  said: 

"But  though  we,  or  an  angel  from 
heaven,  preach  any  other  gospel  unto 
you  than  that  which  we  have  preached 


ID  RICHARDS  65 

unto  you,  let  him  be  accursed."  (Gala- 
tians  1:8.) 

"Now,"  I  said,  "let  your  conscience 
be  your  guide  when  you  are  teaching 
things  that  you  know  are  not  in 
harmony  with  the  scriptures." 

There  was  an  article  that  appeared 
some  years  ago  in  a  pamphlet  that 
Brother  Orson  F.  Whitney  wrote,  en- 
titled, "The  Strength  of  the  Mormon 
Position."  This  is  a  statement  by  a  noted 
member  of  the  Catholic  Church,  and  I 
think  it  has  something  very  important 
in  it  that  those  of  us  interested  in  mis- 
sionary work  could  well  give  a  little 
thought  to,  and  I  would  like  to  read  it 
to  you.   He  said: 

"Many  years  ago  a  learned  man, 
a  member  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  came  to  Utah  and  spoke  from 
the  stand  of  the  Salt  Lake  Tabernacle. 
I  became  well-acquainted  with  him,  and 
we  conversed  freely  and  frankly.  A 
great  scholar,  with  perhaps  a  dozen 
languages  at  his  tongue's  end,  he  seemed 
to  know  all  about  theology,  law,  lit- 
erature, science,  and  philosophy.  One 
day  he  said  to  me:  'You  Mormons  are 
all  ignoramuses.  You  don't  even  know 
the  strength  of  your  own  position.  It  is 
so  strong  that  there  is  only  one  other 
tenable  in  the  whole  Christian  world, 
and  that  is  the  position  of  the  Catholic 
Church.  The  issue  is  between  Cath- 
olicism and  Mormonism.  If  we  are 
right,  you  are  wrong;  if  you  are  right, 
we  are  wrong;  and  that's  all  there  is  to 
it.  The  Protestants  haven't  a  leg  to 
stand  on.  For,  if  we  are  wrong,  they 
are  wrong  with  us,  since  they  were 
a  part  of  us  and  went  out  from  us; 
while  if  we  are  right,  they  are  apostates 
whom  we  cut  off  long  ago.  If  we  have 
the  apostolic  succession  from  St.  Peter, 
as  we  claim,  there  was  no  need  of 
Joseph  Smith  and  Mormonism;  but  if 
we  have  not  that  succession,  then  such 
a  man  as  Joseph  Smith  was  necessary, 
and  Mormonism's  attitude  is  the  only 
consistent  one.  It  is  either  the  perpetu- 
ation of  the  gospel  from  ancient  times, 
or  the  restoration  of  the  gospel  in  latter 
days.'"  (A  Marvelous  Work  and 
a  Wonder,  LeGrand  Richards,  pp.  3-4.) 

Now,  if  every  Christian  in  the  world 
could  accept  that  and  then  decide  which 
is  right,  we  would  just  gather  them  in 


66 

Saturday,  September  30 

by  the  millions  if  they  were  willing  to 
obey  the  commandments.  Some  of  them 
are  not,  as  you  know,  after  they  become 
converted.  We  have  thousands  of  peo- 
ple converted  to  Mormonism  who  have 
never  had  the  courage  yet  to  accept  it, 
but  they  believe  that  Joseph  Smith  was 
a  prophet  of  God. 

This  is  only  in  harmony  with  the 
scriptures.  You  remember  what  Paul 
said:  "One  Lord,  one  faith,  one  bap- 
tism," (Eph.  4:5) :  in  other  words,  one 
Lord,  one  Church,  and  one  baptism. 
How  could  there  be  more  than  one 
Church  that  God  our  Eternal  Father 
and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  could  approve, 
because  they  must  not  conflict  with 
each  other,  for  surely  the  Lord  cannot 
be  divided  against  himself?  You  know 
what  Jesus  said,  that  a  house  divided 
against  itself  cannot  stand.  So  there 
can  only  be  one  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
in  all  the  world. 

That  does  not  mean  that  all  these 
Protestant  churches  have  no  good  in 
them,  when  they  teach  people  to  pray 
and  they  teach  them  to  try  to  live  right. 
You  and  I  could  go  out  and  organize 
a  Church.  That  is  why  we  have  hun- 
dreds of  them,  because  they  are 
churches  of  men,  just  like  civic  organ- 
izations and  other  institutions  organized 
by  men  to  help  people  to  do  things 
that  are  worthwhile,  but  no  man  can 
organize  a  church  with  divine  authority 
and  power  to  bind  on  earth  and  it  shall 
be  bound  in  heaven  except  they  are 
called  by  God  the  Eternal  Father  and 
ordained  to  his  priesthood.  That  is 
what  Jesus  meant  when  he  said  to  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve: 

"Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but  I  have 
chosen  you,  and  ordained  you.  .  .  ." 
(John  15:16.) 

".  .  .  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind 
on  earth  shall  be  bound  in  heaven.  .  .  ." 
(Matthew  16:19.) 

Ordinances  performed,  no  matter  if 
there  are  thousands  of  churches,  will  not 
be  recognized  in  the  heavens  until  God 
has  endowed  that  church  with  that 
divine  power  to  bind  on  earth,  and  it 
shall  be  bound  in  heaven.  Of  course, 
the  Lord  will  reward  all  people  for  all 
the  good  they  do,  but  according  to  this 
statement,  it  is  either  the  perpetuation 
of  the  gospel  of  Christ  from  his  day  or 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Second  Day 

it  is  a  restoration  of  the  gospel  through 
the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith.  That  is  why 
we  are  not  Catholics,  and  we  are  not 
Protestants.  We  believe  in  a  restoration 
of  the  gospel. 

If  the  Bible  is  true,  it  cannot  be  a 
perpetuation  of  the  gospel  from  the 
days  of  Jesus  Christ.  I  will  just  read 
you  one  or  two  references.  Here  is  one 
from  Paul: 

"Now  we  beseech  you,  brethren,  by 
the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  by  our  gathering  together  unto  him. 

"That  ye  be  not  soon  shaken  in  mind, 
or  be  troubled,  neither  by  spirit,  nor 
by  word,  nor  by  letter  as  from  us,  as 
that  the  day  of  Christ  is  at  hand." 
(2  Thess.  2:1-2.) 

Now  remember,  this  is  long  after 
Jesus  had  gone  to  the  Father  and  com- 
pleted his  earthly  mission. 

"Let  no  man  deceive  you  by  any 
means:  for  that  day  shall  not  come, 
except  there  come  a  falling  away 
first. . .  ."  (Ibid.,  2:3.) 

Now,  that  means  no  perpetuation, 
does  it  not,  of  the  gospel,  but  a  falling 
away  which  would  require  a  restoration? 

One  more  statement  from  Paul: 

"For  the  time  will  come  when  they 
will  not  endure  sound  doctrine;  but 
after  their  own  lusts  shall  they  heap  to 
themselves  teachers,  having  itching  ears; 

"And  they  shall  turn  away  their  ears 
from  the  truth,  and  shall  be  turned  unto 
fables."  (2  Tim.  4:3-4.) 

Then  there  are  many  more  in  the 
scriptures  such  as  Amos,  where  he  says: 

"Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the 
Lord  God,  that  I  will  send  a  famine  in 
the  land,  not  a  famine  of  bread,  nor 
a  thirst  for  water,  but  of  hearing  the 
words  of  the  Lord: 

"And  they  shall  wander  from  sea  to 
sea,  and  from  the  north  even  to  the 
east,  they  shall  run  to  and  fro  to  seek 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  shall  not 
find  it."  (Amos  8:11-12.) 

Jesus  said,  ".  .  .  seek  and  ye  shall 
find"  (Matt.  7:7),  and  why  could  they 
not  find  it?  Because  there  was  a  famine 
in  the  land  for  hearing  the  word  of 
God,  and  when  the  word  of  God  can- 
not be  found  anywhere,  what  does  that 
imply?  It  implies  the  need  of  a  resto- 
ration, does  it  not? 
:  So  we  come  to  that  point. 


ELDER  LEGRAND  RICHARDS 


67 


Peter  is  the  one  that  they  claim  to 
follow,  and  yet  Peter,  you  remember, 
in  talking  to  those  who  put  to  death  the 
Christ,  said: 

"Repent  ye  therefore,  and  be  con- 
verted, that  your  sins  may  be  blotted 
out,  when  the  times  of  refreshing  shall 
come  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord. 

"And  he  shall  send  Jesus  Christ, 
which  before  was  preached  unto  you: 

"Whom  the  heaven  must  receive  until 
the  times  of  restitution  of  all  things, 
which  God  hath  spoken  by  the  mouth 
of  all  his  holy  prophets  since  the  world 
began."  (Acts  3:19-21.) 

According  to  the  Apostle  Peter,  there 
had  to  come  a  falling  away  in  order 
that  there  could  be  a  restitution.  That 
is  just  as  simple  as  ABC. 

I  should  not  think  it  would  be  hard 
for  any  Christian  to  recognize  the  fact 
that  the  choice  is  between  one  of  two 
churches,  and  then  if  we  turn  to  the 
scriptures  to  determine  which  of  the 
two  it  is,  there  should  be  no  difficulty 
in  reaching  a  correct  decision. 

We  come  again  to  the  statement  of 
John  when  he  was  banished  upon  the 
Isle  of  Patmos.  You  remember  the 
angel  said: 

".  .  .  Come  up  hither,  and  I  will  shew 
thee  things  which  must  be  hereafter." 
(Rev.  4:1.)  And  then  he  saw  ".  .  .  an- 
other angel  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven, 
having  the  everlasting  gospel"  (ibid., 
14:6),  that  is  the  only  gospel  that  can 
save  men,  ". . .  to  preach  unto  them  that 
dwell  on  the  earth,  and  to  every  nation 
and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people" 
(Idem)  indicating  that  no  one  in  the 
world  would  be  in  possession  of  that 
everlasting  gospel. 

If  the  gospel  were  to  endure  from 
the  days  of  Christ,  why  should  the 
angel  come?  It  seems  incredible  that 
we  have  no  report  or  account  of  angels 
visiting  the  earth  any  more,  and  yet 
angels  are  nothing  more  than  servants 
of  the  Lord.  You  remember  how 
Gabriel  was  sent  to  Zacharias  to  tell 
him  about  how  his  wife  Elizabeth 
would  have  a  son,  and  he  would  be 
called  John,  and  how  the  Angel  Gabriel 
came  to  Mary  to  tell  her  about  the 
wonderful  thing  the  Lord  had  planned 
for  her.  We  do  not  read  of  any  angels  any 
more  among  any  of  the  churches,  and  I 


wonder  what  the  world  thinks  angels 
really  are.  When  we  see  them  depicted 
today,  they  have  wings  on  them. 

I  would  like  to  read  you  a  few  words 
from  Revelation  22:9.  After  John  had 
seen  all  the  marvelous  things  that  were 
shown  unto  him  by  the  angel,  he  fell 
down  to  worship  at  his  feet,  and  the 
angel  said  unto  him: 

".  .  .  See  thou  do  it  not:  for  I  am  thy 
fellowservant,  and  of  thy  brethren  the 
prophets,  and  of  them  which  keep  the 
sayings  of  this  book:  worship  God." 
(Ibid.,  22:9.) 

In  other  words,  when  the  "fellow- 
servants,  and  of  thy  brethren  the 
prophets"  leave  this  earth,  that  does  not 
mean  that  their  work  is  completed,  be- 
cause the  Lord  rules  in  the  heavens 
above,  and  he  rules  upon  the  earth 
beneath,  and  his  servants  are  sent  back 
from  time  to  time  in  order  to  work  out 
his  program  that  his  promises  might  be 
fulfilled.   As  Jesus  said: 

"Verily  I  say  unto  you,  This  gen- 
eration shall  not  pass  away,  till  all  be 
fulfilled. 

"Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away: 
but  my  words  shall  not  pass  away." 
(Luke  21:32-33.) 

There  are  so  many  statements  in  the 
Bible  that  prove  that  there  should  be 
a  restoration  of  the  everlasting  gospel 
before  the  promised  second  coming  of 
the  Christ,  that  one  could  not  possibly 
believe  in  the  Bible  and  believe  in  a 
perpetuation  of  the  truth. 

I  want  to  leave  with  you  one  other 
thought  that  has  impressed  me  greatly. 
It  is  reported  that  one  of  our  national 
radio  commentators  made  this  state- 
ment. He  said  he  was  asked  what  mes- 
sage could  be  broadcast  to  the  world 
which  would  be  considered  greater  than 
any  other  message.  He  said,  after  giv- 
ing it  consideration,  he  decided  that  to 
be  able  to  say  to  the  world  that  a  man 
who  had  lived  upon  this  earth  and  died 
had  returned  again  with  a  message  from 
God  would  be  the  greatest  message  that 
could  be  broadcast  to  the  world.  We 
are  the  only  people  in  the  world  that 
have  such  a  message  as  that. 

We  have  even  erected  a  great  monu- 
ment in  the  state  of  New  York  to  the 
honor  of  such  a  man,  Moroni,  who 
came  back  with  a  message  from  God. 


68 

Saturday,  September  30 

Just  think  of  all  the  messengers  who 
have  come  back  in  the  "restitution  of  all 
things"  (Acts  3:21),  as  Peter  promised 
before  Christ  can  come  again.  And  who 
were  they?  Angels.  And  who  are 
angels?  Servants  of  the  Lord,  "fellow- 
servants  like  unto  thyself,"  as  the  angel 
said  to  John  when  he  went  to  kneel 
down  to  worship  him.  (See  Rev.  22:9.) 

In  closing,  I  would  like  to  read  the 
testimony  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith 
and  Sidney  Rigdon,  received  in  Hiram, 
Ohio,  on  February  16,  1832,  and  I  bear 
you  my  testimony  that  this  is  true: 

"And  while  we  meditated  upon  these 
things,  the  Lord  touched  the  eyes  of  our 
understandings  and  they  were  opened, 
and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shone  round 
about. 

"And  we  beheld  the  glory  of  the  Son, 
on  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  and 
received  of  his  fulness; 

"And  saw  the  holy  angels,  and  them 
who  are  sanctified  before  his  throne, 
worshiping  God,  and  the  Lamb,  who 
worship  him  forever  and  ever. 

"And  now,  after  the  many  testimonies 
which  have  been  given  of  him,  this  is 
the  testimony,  last  of  all,  which  we  give 
of  him:  That  he  lives! 

"For  we  saw  him,  even  on  the  right 
hand  of  God;  and  we  heard  the  voice 
bearing  record  that  he  is  the  Only  Be- 
gotten of  the  Father — 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Second  Dau 

"That  by  him,  and  through  him,  and 
of  him,  the  worlds  are  and  were  created, 
and  the  inhabitants  thereof  are  begotten 
sons  and  daughters  unto  God."  (D&C 
76:19-24.) 

I  thank  God  for  the  testimony  in  my 
soul  that  I  am  his  son  and  that  Jesus  is 
my  Elder  Brother  and  that  he  is  the 
Creator  of  heaven  and  earth  and  that 
he  has  revealed  himself  to  the  earth 
in  this  day  and  that  messengers  have 
returned  with  a  message  from  God  and 
hence  we  have  the  greatest  message 
that  could  possibly  be  broadcast  to  this 
world,  and  I  bear  you  that  witness  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord,  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 


President  David  O.  McKay: 

He  to  whom  you  have  just  listened 
is  Elder  LeGrand  Richards  of  the  Coun- 
cil of  the  Twelve.  Elder  Sterling  W. 
Sill,  Assistant  to  the  Twelve,  will  now 
speak  to  us.  I  am  going  to  tell  you 
something.  Brother  Sill  approached  me 
just  before  this  meeting  started  and  he 
said  he  has  one  speech  one  minute  long 
and  he  has  another  fifteen  minutes  long. 
He  said,  "You  tell  me  which  you  want." 
I  believe,  Brother  Sill,  we  will  take  the 
one  minute. 

Elder  Benson  will  follow  him. 


ELDER  STERLING  W.  SILL 

Assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


My  brothers  and  sisters,  I  appreciate 
this  semiannual  privilege  of  having  a 
part  with  you  in  the  general  conference 
of  the  Church. 

Someone  has  said  that  the  greatest 
invention  of  all  time  took  place  at 
Platea,  2,500  years  ago,  when  an  obscure 
Greek  perfected  the  process  of  marching 
men  in  step.  When  it  was  discovered 
that  a  great  group  of  individuals  could 
co-ordinate  their  efforts  and  focus  them 
effectively  upon  a  single  objective,  that 
day  civilization  began. 

The  Master  himself  emphasized  this 
important  ability  when  he  said  to  his 
disciples,  "...  if  ye  are  not  one  ye  are 


not  mine."  (D&C  38:27.)  Then  the 
greatest  intelligence  of  heaven  gave  the 
most  important  success  formula  ever 
given,  saying,  "Follow  me  .  .  .  ."  (Matt. 
4:19.)  And  every  human  soul  must 
finally  be  judged  by  how  well  he 
obeys  that  single  command. 

May  God  help  us  I  pray  in  Jesus' 
name.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

I  like  a  man  who  is  true  to  his  word! 
Elder  Ezra  Taft  Benson  of  the  Council 
of  the  Twelve  will  be  our  concluding 
speaker. 


ELDER  EZRA  TAFT  BENSON 

Of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


My  brethren  and  sisters  and  friends,  in 

keeping  with  the  spirit  of  the  keynote 
address  of  our  beloved  President,  I  de- 
sire, if  the  Lord  will  bless  me,  to  speak 
to  you  about  the  American  heritage  of 
freedom — a  plan  of  God. 

I  direct  my  remarks  particularly  to  the 
men  of  America  and  more  especially  to 
those  in  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter-day  Saints,  who  hold  the  Holy 
Priesthood  of  God. 

Every  member  of  the  priesthood  should 
understand  the  divine  plan  designed  by 
the  Lord  to  raise  up  the  first  free  people 
in  modern  times.  Here  is  how  scripture 
says  it  was  achieved: 

First:  Prophecy  is  abundant  that  God 
deliberately  kept  the  American  continent 
hidden  until  after  the  Holy  Roman 
Empire  had  been  broken  up  and  the 
various  nations  had  established  them- 
selves as  independent  kingdoms.  Keeping 
America  hidden  until  this  time  was  no 
accident.  (2  Nephi  1:6,  8.) 

Second:  At  the  proper  time,  God  in- 
spired Columbus  to  overcome  almost  in- 
surmountable odds  to  discover  America 
and  bring  this  rich  new  land  to  the 
attention  of  the  gentiles  in  Europe. 
(1  Nephi  13:12;  Admiral  of  the  Ocean 
Sea,  by  Dr.  Samuel  Eliot  Morison, 
pp.  46-47.) 

Third:  God  revealed  to  his  ancient 
American  prophets  that  shortly  after  the 
discovery  of  America  there  would  be 
peoples  in  Europe  who  would  desire  to 
escape  the  persecution  and  tyranny  of 
the  Old  World  and  flee  to  America. 
(1  Nephi  13:13-16.) 

Fourth:  God  told  his  prophets  that  the 
kingdoms  in  Europe  would  try  to  exer- 
cise dominion  over  the  people  who  had 
fled  to  America,  but  that  in  the  wars  for 
independence  the  American  settlers 
would  win.  (This  is  a  remarkable 
prophecy  in  that  2,300  years  before  the 
Revolutionary  War  was  fought,  God 
through  his  prophets  predicted  who 
would  win  it.)  (Ibid.,  13:16-19.) 

Fifth:  The  prophets  were  told  that  in 
the  latter  days  when  the  gentiles  came 
to  America  they  would  establish  it  as  a 
land  of  liberty  on  which  there  would 


be  no  kings.  The  Lord  declared  that  he 
would  protect  the  land  and  whosoever 
would  try  to  establish  kings  either  from 
within  or  without  would  perish.  (2  Ne- 
phi 10:8-14.) 

Sixth:  Having  declared  America  to  be 
a  land  of  liberty,  God  undertook  to  raise 
up  a  band  of  inspired  and  intelligent 
leaders  who  could  write  a  constitution  of 
liberty  and  establish  the  first  free  people 
in  modern  times.  The  hand  of  God  in 
this  undertaking  is  clearly  indicated  by 
the  Lord  himself  in  a  revelation  to  the 
Prophet  Joseph  Smith  in  these  words: 

"...  I  established  the  Constitution  of 
this  land,  by  the  hands  of  wise  men 
whom  I  raised  up  unto  this  very  pur- 
pose "  (D8cC  101:80.) 

Seventh:  God  declared  that  the  United 
States  Constitution  was  divinely  inspired 
for  the  specific  purpose  of  eliminating 
bondage  and  the  violation  of  the  rights 
and  protection  which  belongs  to  "all 
flesh."   (Ibid.,  101:77-80.) 

Eighth:  God  placed  a  mandate  upon 
his  people  to  befriend  and  defend  the 
constitutional  laws  of  the  land  and  see 
that  the  rights  and  privileges  of  all  man- 
kind are  protected.  He  verified  the  decla- 
ration of  the  founding  fathers,  that  God 
created  all  men  free.  He  also  warned 
against  those  who  would  enact  laws  en- 
croaching upon  the  sacred  rights  and 
privileges  of  free  men.  He  urged  the 
election  of  honest  and  wise  leaders  and 
said  that  evil  men  and  laws  were  of 
Satan.  (Ibid.,  98:5-10.) 

Ninth:  God  predicted  through  his  pro- 
phets that  this  great  gentile  nation, 
raised  up  on  the  American  continent  in 
the  last  days,  would  become  the  richest 
and  most  powerful  nation  on  the  face  of 
the  earth;  even  "above  all  other 
nations."  (See  1  Nephi  13:15,  30; 
Ether  2:12.) 

Tenth:  Concerning  the  United  States, 
the  Lord  revealed  to  his  prophets  that  its 
greatest  threat  would  be  a  vast,  world- 
wide "secret  combination"  which  would 
not  only  threaten  the  United  States  but 
also  seek  to  "overthrow  the  freedom  of 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


70 

Saturday,  September  30 

all  lands,  nations,  and  countries." 
(Ether  8:25.) 

Eleventh:  In  connection  with  attack 
on  the  United  States,  the  Lord  told  the 
Prophet  Joseph  Smith  there  would  be  an 
attempt  to  overthrow  the  country  by 
destroying  the  Constitution.  Joseph 
Smith  predicted  that  the  time  would 
come  when  the  Constitution  would 
hang,  as  it  were,  by  a  thread,  and  at 
that  time  "this  people  will  step  forth 
and  save  it  from  the  threatened  destruc- 
tion." (Journal  History,  Brigham 
Young's  Speech,  July  4,  1854.) 

It  is  my  conviction  that  the  elders  of 
Israel,  widely  spread  over  the  nation, 
will  at  that  crucial  time  successfully 
rally  the  righteous  of  our  country  and 
provide  the  necessary  balance  of  strength 
to  save  the  institutions  of  constitutional 
government. 

Twelfth:  The  Lord  revealed  to  the 
Prophet  Nephi  that  he  established  the 
gentiles  on  this  land  to  be  a  free  people 
forever,  that  if  they  were  a  righteous  na- 
tion and  overcame  the  wickedness  and 
secret  abominations  which  would  arise 
in  their  midst,  they  would  inherit  the 
land  forever.    (1  Nephi  14:1-2.) 

Thirteenth:  But  on  the  other  hand,  if 
the  gentiles  on  this  land  reject  the  word 
of  God  and  conspire  to  overthrow  liberty 
and  the  Constitution,  then  their  doom 
is  fixed,  and  they  ".  .  .  shall  be  cut  off 
from  among  my  people  who  are  of  the 
covenant."  (1  Nephi  14:6;  3  Nephi 
21:11,  14,  21;  D&C  84:114-115,  117.) 

Fourteenth:  The  great  destructive  force 
which  was  to  be  turned  loose  on  the 
earth  and  which  the  prophets  for  centu- 
ries have  been  calling  the  "abomination 
of  desolation"  is  vividly  described  by 
those  who  saw  it  in  vision.  Ours  is  the 
first  generation  to  realize  how  literally 
these  prophecies  can  be  fulfilled  now 
that  God,  through  science,  has  unlocked 
the  secret  to  thermonuclear  reaction. 

In  the  light  of  these  prophecies  there 
should  be  no  doubt  in  the  mind  of  any 
priesthood  holder  that  the  human  family 
is  headed  for  trouble.  There  are  rugged 
days  ahead.  It  is  time  for  every  man 
who  wishes  to  do  his  duty  to  get  himself 
prepared — physically,  spiritually,  and 
psychologically — for  the  task  which  may 
come  at  any  time,  as  suddenly  as  the 
whirlwind. 


Second  Day 

Where  do  we  stand  today?  All  over 
the  world  the  light  of  freedom  is  being 
diminished.  Across  whole  continents 
of  the  earth  freedom  is  being  totally 
obliterated. 

Never  in  recorded  history  has  any 
movement  spread  its  power  so  far  and 
so  fast  as  has  socialistic-communism 
in  the  last  three  decades.  The  facts  are 
not  pleasant  to  review.  Communist 
leaders  are  jubilant  with  their  success. 
They  are  driving  freedom  back  on  almost 
every  front. 

It  is  time,  therefore,  that  every  Ameri- 
can, and  especially  every  member  of 
the  priesthood,  become  informed  about 
the  aims,  tactics,  and  schemes  of  social- 
istic-communism. This  becomes  partic- 
ularly important  when  it  is  realized  that 
communism  is  turning  out  to  be  the 
earthly  image  of  the  plan  which  Satan 
presented  in  the  pre-existence.  The 
whole  program  of  socialistic-communism 
is  essentially  a  war  against  God  and  the 
plan  of  salvation — the  very  plan  which 
we  fought  to  uphold  during  "the  war 
in  heaven." 

Up  to  now  some  members  of  the 
Church  have  stood  aloof,  feeling  that  the 
fight  against  socialistic-communism  is 
"controversial"  and  unrelated  to  the 
mission  of  the  Church  or  the  work  of  the 
Lord.  But  the  President  of  the  Church 
in  our  day  has  made  it  clear  that  the 
fight  against  atheistic  communism  is  a 
major  challenge  to  the  Church  and  every 
member  in  it. 

During  the  general  conference  of  the 
Church  in  October  1959,  President 
David  O.  McKay,  in  discussing  the 
threat  of  communism,  referred  to  W. 
Cleon  Skousen's  book,  The  Naked  Com- 
munist, and  said,  "I  admonish  everybody 
to  read  that  excellent  book.''  He  then 
quoted  the  following  from  the  flyleaf: 
"The  conflict  between  communism  and 
freedom  is  the  problem  of  our  time.  It 
overshadows  all  other  problems." 

The  fight  against  godless  communism 
is  a  very  real  part  of  every  man's  duty 
who  holds  the  priesthood.  It  is  the 
fight  against  slavery,  immorality,  athe- 
ism, terrorism,  cruelty,  barbarism,  deceit, 
and  the  destruction  of  human  life 
through  a  kind  of  tyranny  unsurpassed 
by  anything  in  human  history.  Here  is 
a  struggle  against  the  evil,  satanical 
priestcraft  of  Lucifer.    Truly  it  can  be 


ELDER  EZRA  TAFT  BENSON 


71 


called,  "a  continuation  of  the  war  in 
heaven." 

In  the  war  in  heaven  the  devil  ad- 
vocated absolute  eternal  security  at  the 
sacrifice  of  our  freedom.  Although  there 
is  nothing  more  desirable  to  a  Latter-day 
Saint  than  eternal  security  in  God's 
presence,  and  although  God  knew,  as 
did  we,  that  some  of  us  would  not 
achieve  this  security  if  we  were  allowed 
our  freedom — yet  the  very  God  of  heav- 
en, who  has  more  mercy  than  us  all, 
still  decreed  no  guaranteed  security  ex- 
cept by  a  man's  own  freedom  of  choice 
and  individual  initiative. 

Today  the  devil  as  a  wolf  in  a  sup- 
posedly new  suit  of  sheep's  clothing  is 
enticing  some  men,  both  in  and  out  of 
the  Church,  to  parrot  his  line  by  advo- 
cating planned  government  guaranteed 
security  programs  at  the  expense  of  our 
liberties.  Latter-day  Saints  should  be 
reminded  how  and  why  they  voted  as 
they  did  in  heaven.  If  some  have  decided 
to  change  their  vote  they  should  repent 
— throw  their  support  on  the  side  of 
freedom — and  cease  promoting  this  sub- 
version. 

When  all  of  the  trappings  of  propa- 
ganda and  pretense  have  been  pulled 
aside,  the  exposed  hard-core  structure 
of  modern  communism  is  amazingly 
similar  to  the  ancient  Book  of  Mormon 
record  of  secret  societies  such  as  the 
Gadiantons.  In  the  ancient  American 
civilization  there  was  no  word  which 
struck  greater  terror  to  the  hearts  of  the 
people  than  the  name  of  the  Gadiantons. 
It  was  a  secret  political  party  which 
operated  as  a  murder  cult.  Its  object  was 
to  infiltrate  legitimate  government,  plant 
its  officers  in  high  places,  and  then 
seize  power  and  live  off  the  spoils 
appropriated  from  the  people.  (It  would 
start  out  as  a  small  group  of  "dissenters" 
and  by  using  secret  oaths  with  the 
threat  of  death  for  defectors  it  would 
gradually  gain  a  choke  hold  on  the 
political  and  economic  life  of  whole 
civilizations.) 

The  object  of  the  Gadiantons,  like 
modern  communists,  was  to  destroy  the 
existing  government  and  set  up  a  ruth- 
less criminal  dictatorship  over  the  whole 
land. 

One  of  the  most  urgent,  heart-stirring 
appeals  made  by  Moroni  as  he  closed  the 


Book  of  Mormon  was  addressed  to  the 
gentile  nations  of  the  last  days.  He 
foresaw  the  rise  of  a  great  world-wide 
secret  combination  among  the  gentiles 
which  "...  seeketh  to  overthrow  the 
freedom  of  all  lands,  nations,  and  coun- 
tries; .  .  ."  (Ether  8:25.  Italics  added.) 
He  warned  each  gentile  nation  of  the 
last  days  to  purge  itself  of  this  gigantic 
criminal  conspiracy  which  would  seek 
to  rule  the  world. 

The  prophets,  in  our  day,  have  con- 
tinually warned  us  of  these  internal 
threats  in  our  midst — that  our  greatest 
threat  from  socialistic-communism  lies 
within  our  country.  Brethren  and  sis- 
ters, we  don't  need  a  prophet — we  have 
one — we  need  a  listening  ear.  And  if 
we  do  not  listen  and  heed,  then,  as  the 
Doctrine  and  Covenants  states,  "... 
the  day  cometh  that  they  who  will  not 
hear  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  neither  the 
voice  of  his  servants,  neither  give  heed 
to  the  words  of  the  prophets  and  apos- 
tles, shall  be  cut  off  from  among  the 
people."   (D&C  1:14.) 

The  prophets  have  said  that  these 
threats  are  among  us.  The  Prophet 
Moroni,  viewing  our  day,  said,  "Where- 
fore the  Lord  commandeth  you,  when  ye 
shall  see  these  things  come  among  you 
that  ye  shall  awake  to  a  sense  of  your 
awful  situation."  (Ether  8:24.) 

Unfortunately  our  nation  has  not 
treated  the  socialistic-communist  con- 
spiracy as  "treasonable  to  our  free  insti- 
tutions," as  the  First  Presidency  pointed 
out  in  a  signed  1936  statement.  If  we 
continue  to  uphold  communism  by  not 
making  it  treasonable,  our  land  shall 
be  destroyed,  for  the  Lord  has  said  that 
"...  whatsoever  nation  shall  uphold 
such  secret  combinations,  to  get  power 
and  gain,  until  they  shall  spread  over 
the  nation,  behold  they  shall  be  de- 
stroyed; .  .  ."    (Ibid.,  8:22.) 

The  Prophet  Moroni  described  how 
the  secret  combination  would  take  over 
a  country  and  then  fight  the  work  of 
God,  persecute  the  righteous,  and  murder 
those  who  resisted.  Moroni  therefore 
proceeded  to  describe  the  workings  of 
the  ancient  "secret  combinations"  so 
that  modern  man  could  recognize  this 
great  political  conspiracy  in  the  last 
days:  "Wherefore,  O  ye  Gentiles,  it  is 
wisdom  in  God  that  these  things  should 


72 

Saturday,  September  30 

be  shown  unto  you,  that  thereby  ye  may 
repent  of  your  sins,  and  suffer  not  that 
these  murderous  combinations  shall  get 
above  you,  which  are  built  up  to  get 
power  and  gain — and  the  work,  yea, 
even  the  work  of  destruction  come  upon 
you,  .  .  . 

"Wherefore,  the  Lord  commandeth 
you,  when  ye  shall  see  these  things  come 
among  you  that  ye  shall  awake  to  a 
sense  of  your  awful  situation,  because 
of  this  secret  combination  which  shall 
be  among  you;  .  .  . 

"For  it  cometh  to  pass  that  whoso 
buildeth  it  up  seeketh  to  overthrow  the 
freedom  of  all  lands,  nations  and  coun- 
tries; and  it  bringeth  to  pass  the  destruc- 
tion of  all  people,  for  it  is  built  up  by 
the  devil,  who  is  the  father  of  all 
lies;  .  .  ."  (Ibid.,  8:23-25.  Italics  added.) 

The  Prophet  Moroni  seemed  greatly 
exercised  lest  in  our  day  we  might  not 
be  able  to  recognize  the  startling  fact 
that  the  same  secret  societies  which 
destroyed  the  Jaredites  and  decimated 
numerous  kingdoms  of  both  Nephites 
and  Lamanites  would  be  precisely  the 
same  form  of  criminal  conspiracy  which 
would  rise  up  among  the  gentile  nations 
in  this  day. 

The  strategems  of  the  leaders  of  these 
societies  are  amazingly  familiar  to  any- 
one who  has  studied  the  tactics  of  mod- 
ern communist  leaders. 

The  Lord  has  declared  that  before  the 
second  coming  of  Christ  it  will  be 
necessary  to  ". . .  destroy  the  secret  works 
of  darkness,  .  .  ."  in  order  to  preserve 
the  land  of  Zion — the  Americas.  (2  Ne- 
phi  10:11-16.) 

The  world-wide  secret  conspiracy 
which  has  risen  up  in  our  day  to  fulfil 
these  prophecies  is  easily  identified. 
President  McKay  has  left  no  room  for 
doubt  as  to  what  attitude  Latter-day 
Saints  should  take  toward  the  modern 
"secret  combinations"  of  conspiratorial 
communism.  In  a  lengthy  statement  on 
communism,  he  said: 

".  .  .  Latter-day  Saints  should  have 
nothing  to  do  with  the  secret  combina- 
tions and  groups  antagonistic  to  the 
constitutional  law  of  the  land,  which  the 
Lord  'suffered  to  be  established,'  and 
which  'should  be  maintained  for  the 
rights  and  protection  of  all  flesh  accord- 
ing to  just  and  holy  principles.' "  (Gos- 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Second  Day 

pel  Ideals,  by  David  O.  McKay,  p.  306. 
Italics  added.) 

There  are  those  who  recommend  that 
the  clash  between  communism  and 
freedom  be  avoided  through  disarma- 
ment agreements.  Abolishing  our 
military  strength  and  adopting  an 
unenforceable  contract  as  a  substitute 
to  protect  us  would  go  down  in  history 
as  the  greatest  mistake  free  men  could 
make  in  a  time  of  peril. 

President  McKay  declared: 

"Force  rules  in  the  world  today;  con- 
sequently, our  government  must  keep 
armies  abroad,  build  navies  and  air 
squadrons,  create  atom  bombs  to  pro- 
tect itself  from  the  threatened  aggression 
of  a  nation  which  seems  to  listen  to  no 
other  appeal  than  compulsion."  (Ibid., 
p.  304.) 

This  parallels  the  historic  statement 
by  George  Washington  when  he  vigor- 
ously warned: 

"There  is  a  rank  due  the  United  States 
among  the  nations  that  will  be  totally 
lost  by  the  reputation  of  weakness.  If 
we  would  avoid  insult  we  must  be  able 
to  repel  it,  if  we  would  secure  the  peace, 
it  must  be  known  that  we  are  at  all 
times  ready  for  war." 

Some  timid,  vacillating  political  lead- 
ers proclaim  that  communism  is  some- 
thing we  will  have  to  learn  to  live 
with  .  .  .  whether  it  is  Khrushchev,  or 
some  other  leader.  The  present  commu- 
nist system,  they  declare,  will  continue 
because  there  is  no  alternate  system  to 
replace  communism.  The  policy  of 
increasing  power,  of  pushing  their  sys- 
tem outward  and  using  the  communist 
party,  they  say,  will  go  on. 

Such  a  negative  attitude  writes  off  the 
hundreds  of  millions  behind  the  iron 
curtain  as  a  lost  cause.  Surely  no  coura- 
geous, liberty-loving  citizen  will  treat 
the  communist  secret  combination  as 
"something  we  will  have  to  learn  to 
live  with." 

There  is  a  more  courageous  and 
sounder  point  of  view.  President  McKay 
expressed  it  in  these  words: 


ELDER  EZRA 

"Men  will  be  free.  I  have  hoped  for 
twenty  years  that  the  Russian  system 
would  break  up.  There  is  no  freedom 
under  it,  and  sooner  or  later  the  people 
will  rise  against  it.  They  cannot  oppose 
those  fundamentals  of  civilization  and  of 
God.  They  can't  crush  their  people 
always.  Men  will  be  free."  (Church 
Section,  Deseret  News,  November  6, 
1957,  in  an  article  entitled,  "President 
McKay  receives  Senator  Kennedy  at 
Church  Offices.") 

What  is  the  official  position  of  the 
Church  on  communism?  In  1936  the 
First  Presidency  made  an  official  decla- 
ration on  communism  which  has  never 
been  abrogated.  I  quote  the  concluding 
paragraph: 

"We  call  upon  all  Church  members 
completely  to  eschew  communism.  The 
safety  of  our  divinely  inspired  consti- 
tutional government  and  the  welfare 
of  our  Church  imperatively  demand 
that  communism  shall  have  no  place 
in  America." 

We  must  ever  keep  in  mind  that 
collectivized  socialism  is  part  of  the 
communist  strategy.  Communism  is 
fundamentally  socialism.  We  will  never 
win  our  fight  against  communism  by 
making  concessions  to  socialism.  Com- 
munism and  socialism,  closely  related, 
must  be  defeated  on  principle.  The 
close  relationship  between  socialism  and 
communism  is  clearly  pointed  out  by 
Senator  Strom  Thurmond  of  South  Caro- 
lina in  a  letter  to  the  editor  of  the 
Washington  Post,  of  August  6,  1961,  in 
these  words: 

".  .  .  Both  socialism  and  communism 
derive  from  the  teachings  of  Marx  and 
Engels.  In  fact,  the  movements  were 
one  until  the  split  over  methods  of 
approach,  which  resulted  after  the  Rus- 
sian revolution  in  1905.  .  .  .  The  aim 
and  purpose  of  both  was  then  and  is 
now  world  socialism,  which  communism 
seeks  to  achieve  through  revolution  and 
which  socialists  seek  to  achieve  through 
evolution. 

"The  industrial  achievements  of  the 
U.  S.  are  the  result  of  an  economic 
system  which  is  the  antithesis  of  social- 


TAFT  BENSON  73 

ism.  Our  economic  system  is  called 
'capitalism'  or  'private  enterprise'  and 
is  based  on  private  property  rights,  the 
profit  motive  and  competition. 

"Both  communism  and  socialism  seek 
to  destroy  our  economic  system  and 
replace  it  with  socialism;  and  their 
success,  whether  through  evolution  by 
socialism  or  through  revolution  by  com- 
munism or  a  combination,  will  destroy 
not  only  our  economic  system,  but  our 
liberty,  including  the  'civil'  aspects  as 
well.  .  .  . 

". . .  The  'common  ground'  of  socialism 
and  communism  is  a  factor  to  which 
the  American  people  should  be  alerted. 
Without  a  clear  understanding  that 
communism  is  socialism,  the  total  threat 
and  menace  of  the  cold  war  can  never 
be  comprehended  and  fought  to  victory." 

When  socialism  is  understood,  we  will 
realize  that  many  of  the  programs  ad- 
vocated, and  some  of  those  already 
adopted  in  the  United  States,  fall  clearly 
within  the  category  of  socialism.  What  is 
socialism?  It  is  simply  governmental 
ownership  and  management  of  the  es- 
sential means  for  the  production  and 
distribution  of  goods. 

We  must  never  forget  that  nations 
may  sow  the  seeds  of  their  own  destruc- 
tion while  enjoying  unprecedented  pros- 
perity. 

The  socialistic-communist  conspiracy 
to  weaken  the  United  States  involves 
attacks  on  many  fronts.  To  weaken  the 
American  free-enterprise  economy  which 
outproduced  both  its  enemies  and  allies 
during  World  War  II  is  a  high  priority 
target  of  the  communist  leaders.  Their 
press  and  other  propaganda  media  are 
therefore  constantly  selling  the  princi- 
ples of  centralized  or  federal  control  of 
farms,  railroads,  electric  power,  schools, 
steel,  maritime  shipping,  and  many 
other  aspects  of  the  economy — but  al- 
ways in  the  name  of  public  welfare. 

This  carries  out  the  strategy  laid 
down  by  the  communist  masters.  John 
Strachey,  a  top  official  in  the  Labor 
Socialist  party  of  Great  Britain,  in  his 
book  entitled  The  Theory  and  Practice 
of  Socialism  said: 

"It  is  impossible  to  establish  com- 
munism  as   the   immediate  successor 


74 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Saturday,  September  30 

to  capitalism.  It  is  accordingly  proposed 
to  establish  socialism  as  something 
which  we  can  put  in  the  place  of  our 
present  decaying  capitalism.  Hence, 
communists  work  for  the  establishment 
of  socialism  as  a  necessary  transition 
stage  on  the  road  to  communism." 

The  paramount  issue  today  is  liberty 
against  creeping  socialism.  It  is  in  this 
spirit  that  President  McKay  stated: 

"Communism  is  antagonistic  to  the 
American  way  of  life.  Its  avowed  pur- 
pose is  to  destroy  belief  in  God  and 
free  enterprise.  .  .  .  The  fostering  of  full 
economic  freedom  lies  at  the  base  of 
our  liberties.  Only  in  perpetuating 
economic  freedom  can  our  social,  politi- 
cal, and  religious  liberties  be  preserved." 
(Excerpt  from  Inaugural  address  for 
Dr.  Henry  A.  Dixon,  President  of  USU, 
delivered  by  President  McKay  at  the 
USU  fieldhouse,  Logan,  Utah,  Mon- 
day, March  18,  1954.) 

Again  President  McKay  warned,  citing 
the  words  of  W.  C.  Mullendore,  presi- 
dent of  Southern  California  Edison 
Company: 

"During  the  first  half  of  the  twentieth 
century  we  have  traveled  far  into  the 
soul-destroying  land  of  socialism  and 
made  strange  alliances  through  which 
we  have  become  involved  in  almost 
continuous  hot  and  cold  wars  over  the 
whole  of  the  earth.  In  this  retreat  from 
freedom  the  voices  of  protesting  citizens 
have  been  drowned  by  raucous  shouts  of 
intolerance  and  abuse  from  those  who 
led  the  retreat  and  their  millions  of 
gullible  youth,  who  are  marching  mer- 
rily to  their  doom,  carrying  banners  on 
which  are  emblazoned  such  intriguing 
and  misapplied  labels  as  social  justice, 
equality,  reform,  patriotism,  social  wel- 
fare." (Gospel  Ideals,  p.  273.) 

It  is  significant  thai  1 18  years  ago  this 
month  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith,  after 
attending  lectures  on  socialism,  made 
this  official  entry  in  church  history:  "I 
said  I  did  not  believe  the  doctrine." 
(History  of  the  Church,  Vol.  6,  p.  33.) 

No  true  Latter-day  Saint  and  no  true 
American  can  be  a  socialist  or  a  com- 
munist or  support  programs  leading  in 
that  direction.   These  evil  philosophies 


Second  Day 

are  incompatible  with  Mormonism,  the 
true  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 

What  can  priesthood  holders  do? 
There  are  many  things  we  can  do  to 
meet  the  challenge  of  the  adversary  in 
our  day. 

First,  we  should  become  informed 
about  communism,  about  socialism,  and 
about  Americanism.  What  better  way 
can  one  become  informed  than  by  first 
studying  the  inspired  words  of  the 
prophets  and  using  that  as  a  foundation 
against  which  to  test  all  other  material. 
This  is  in  keeping  with  the  Prophet 
Joseph  Smith's  motto,  "When  the  Lord 
commands,  do  it."  (Ibid.,  Vol.  2,  p.  170.) 

The  Foundation  for  Economic  Educa- 
tion, Irvington-on-Hudson,  New  York, 
on  which  President  J.  Reuben  Clark,  Jr., 
served  as  a  board  member,  continues 
to  supply  sound  freedom  literature.  We 
should  know  enough  about  American 
free  enterprise  to  be  able  to  defend  it. 
We  should  know  what  makes  it  possible 
for  six  percent  of  humanity — living 
under  our  free  economy — to  produce 
about  one-half  of  the  earth's  developed 
wealth  each  year. 

We  should  know  why  paternalism, 
collectivism,  or  unnecessary  federal  su- 
pervision will  hold  our  standard  of 
living  down  and  reduce  productivity 
just  as  it  has  in  every  country  where  it 
has  been  tried.  We  should  also  know 
why  the  communist  leaders  consider 
socialism  the  highroad  to  communism. 

Second,  we  should  accept  the  com- 
mand of  the  Lord  and  treat  socialistic 
communism  as  the  tool  of  Satan.  We 
should  follow  the  counsel  of  the 
President  of  the  Church  and  resist  the 
influence  and  policies  of  the  socialist- 
communist  conspiracy  wherever  they  are 
found — in  the  schools,  in  the  churches, 
in  governments,  in  unions,  in  businesses, 
in  agriculture. 

Third,  we  should  help  those  who  have 
been  deceived  or  who  are  misinformed 
to  find  the  truth.  Unless  each  person 
who  knows  the  truth  will  "stand  up  and 
speak  up"  it  is  difficult  for  the  deceived 
or  confused  citizen  to  find  his  way  back. 

Fourth,  we  should  not  make  the  mis- 
take of  calling  people  "communist"  just 
because  they  happen  to  be  helping  the 
communist  cause.  Thousands  of  patriotic 
Americans,  including  a  few  Latter-day 


PRESIDENT  D 

Saints,  have  helped  the  communists 
without  realizing  it.  Others  have  know- 
ingly helped  without  joining  the  party. 
The  remedy  is  to  avoid  name-calling, 
but  point  out  clearly  and  persuasively 
how  they  are  helping  the  communists. 

Fifth,  each  priesthood  holder  should 
use  his  influence  in  the  community  to 
resist  the  erosion  process  which  is  taking 
place  in  our  political  and  economic  life. 
He  should  use  the  political  party  of  his 
choice  to  express  his  evaluation  of  im- 
portant issues.  He  should  see  that  his 
party  is  working  to  preserve  freedom, 
not  destroy  it.  He  should  join  respon- 
sible local  groups  interested  in  promo- 
ting freedom  and  free  competitive 
enterprise,  in  studying  political  issues, 
appraising  the  voting  records  and  pro- 
posed programs,  and  writing  to  members 
of  Congress,  promoting  good  men  in 
public  office  and  scrutinizing  local, 
state,  and  federal  agencies  to  see  that 
the  will  of  the  people  is  being  carried 
out.  He  should  not  wait  for  the  Lord's 
servants  to  give  instruction  for  every 
detail  once  they  have  announced  the 
direction  in  which  the  priesthood  should 
go.  Each  member  should  exercise  prayer- 
ful judgment  and  then  act. 

Sixth,  and  most  important  of  all, 
each  member  of  the  priesthood  should 
set  his  own  house  in  order.  This  should 
include: 

1.  Regular  family  prayer,  remember- 
ing especially  our  government  leaders. 

2.  Getting  out  of  debt. 

3.  Seeing  that  each  member  of  the 
family  understands  the  importance  of 
keeping  the  commandments. 

4.  Seeing  that  the  truth  is  shared 
with  members  of  the  family,  with  neigh- 
bors, and  with  associates. 

5.  Seeing  that  each  member  is  per- 
forming his  duties  in  the  priesthood, 
in  the  auxiliary  organizations,  in  the 
temple,  and  in  the  civic  life  of  the 
community. 

6.  Seeing  that  every  wage  earner  in 
the  home  is  a  full  tithepayer  and  ful- 
filling other  obligations  in  financial 
support  of  the  kingdom. 

7.  Providing  a  one-year  supply  of 
essentials. 

In  doing  these  things  a  member  of 
the  Church  is  not  only  making  himself 
an  opponent  of  the  adversary,  but  a 
proponent  of  the  Lord. 

In  the  prophecies  there  is  no  promise 


VID  O.  McKAY  75 

except  to  the  obedient.  To  a  modern 
prophet  the  Lord  said: 

"Therefore,  what  I  say  unto  one,  I 
say  unto  all:  Watch,  for  the  adversary 
spreadeth  his  dominions,  and  darkness 
reigneth; 

"And  the  anger  of  God  kindleth 
against  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth; 

"...  I  give  unto  you  directions  how 
you  may  act  before  me,  that  it  may 
turn  to  you  for  your  salvation. 

"I,  the  Lord,  am  bound  when  ye 
do  what  I  say;  but  when  ye  do  not 
what  I  say,  ye  have  no  promise." 
(D&C  82:5-6,  9-10.) 

May  God  give  us  the  wisdom  to 
recognize  the  threat  to  our  freedom  and 
the  strength  to  meet  this  danger  cour- 
ageously. 

Yes,  perilous  times  are  ahead,  but  if 
we  do  our  duty  in  all  things,  God  will 
give  us  inner  peace  and  overrule  all 
things  for  our  good.  God  grant  it  may 
be  so,  I  pray,  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Amen. 


President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  Ezra  Taft  Benson  of  the  Coun- 
cil of  the  Twelve  has  just  concluded 
speaking.  The  combined  choral  groups 
accompanied  by  the  Bonneville  Strings 
will  now  sing  the  "Hosanna  Anthem," 
conducted  by  Brother  David  Austin 
Shand.  The  benediction  will  be  offered 
by  Elder  Milton  P.  Ream,  president  of 
the  San  Leandro  Stake,  after  which  this 
Conference  will  be  adjourned  until 
seven  o'clock  this  evening  when  the 
General  Priesthood  Meeting  of  the 
Church  will  be  held  in  the  Salt  Lake 
Tabernacle. 

Only  those  holding  the  Priesthood  are 
invited  to  be  present.  Persons  not  hold- 
ing the  Priesthood  will  kindly  refrain 
from  attempting  to  enter  the  building. 
This  Priesthood  session  will  not  be 
broadcast  publicly.  However,  in  addi- 
tion to  overflow  meetings  in  the  Assem- 
bly Hall  and  in  Barratt  Hall,  the  pro- 
ceedings of  this  Priesthood  Meeting  will 
be  relayed  by  closed  circuit  to  members 
of  the  Priesthood  assembled  in  299  other 
Church  buildings  from  coast  to  coast 
and  in  Canada. 

The  general  sessions  tomorrow  will 
be  broadcast  as  a  public  service  over 
television  and  radio  stations  throughout 


76 

Saturday,  September  30 

the  West.  The  Tabernacle  Choir 
broadcast  will  be  from  8:30  to  9:00  A.M. 
Those  desiring  to  attend  this  broadcast 
must  be  in  their  seats  at  8:15  A.M.  It  is 
requested  that  the  audience  remain 
quiet  during  the  broadcast. 

The  singing  for  this  session  has  been 
furnished,  as  heretofore  announced,  by 
University  of  Utah  Institute  of  Religion, 
the  University  Stake  Chorus,  and  the 
Bonneville  Strings,  under  the  direction 
of  Elder  David  Austin  Shand,  with  Elder 
Alexander  Schreiner  at  the  organ.  We 
are  glad  to  have  these  young  men  and 
young  women  with  us  this  afternoon 
and  this  morning,  and  we  thank  them 
for  their  contribution  to  two  most  in- 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Second  Day 

spiring  sessions.  We  hope  they  will  be 
filled  with  satisfaction  in  their  hearts 
for  the  sermons  to  which  they  have  lis- 
tened. Thank  you,  Brother  Shand,  and 
boys  and  girls  of  the  University  of 
Utah. 

The  "Hosanna  Anthem"  by  the  com- 
bined choral  groups  and  then  the  bene- 
diction will  be  offered  by  President 
Milton  P.  Ream  of  San  Leandro  Stake. 

The  Hosanna  Anthem  was  sung  by 
the  Combined  Choral  Groups,  after 
which  the  closing  prayer  was  offered  by 
President  Milton  P.  Ream  of  the  San 
Leandro  Stake. 

Conference  adjourned  until  7:00  p.m. 


GENERAL  PRIESTHOOD  MEETING 


The  General  Priesthood  Meeting  of 
the  Church  convened  in  the  Tabernacle 
Saturday  evening,  September  30,  1961, 
at  7:00  p.m. 

President  David  O.  McKay  was  pres- 
ent and  presided. 

The  Tabernacle  Choir  Men's  Chorus, 
with  Richard  P.  Condie,  Director,  fur- 
nished the  choral  music  for  this  meeting. 
Elder  Alexander  Schreiner,  Tabernacle 
Organist,  was  at  the  organ  console. 

President  David  O.  McKay  made  the 
following  introductory  remarks: 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

This  is  the  fifth  session  of  the  One 
Hundred  Thirty-First  Semi-Annual  Con- 
ference of  the  Church.  You  will  be  in- 
terested to  know  that  these  services  are 
being  relayed  by  closed  circuit  to  mem- 
bers of  the  Priesthood  gathered  here  in 
the  Tabernacle,  in  the  Assembly  Hall, 
in  Barratt  Hall,  and  in  299  other  build- 
ings from  coast  to  coast  and  in  Canada. 

The  singing  will  be  furnished  by  the 
Tabernacle  Choir  Men's  Chorus,  with 
Richard  P.  Condie  as  director,  and 
Alexander  Schreiner  at  the  organ. 

We  shall  begin  these  services  by  the 
Men's  Chorus  singing,  "The  Spirit  of 
God  Like  a  Fire  Is  Burning."  After  the 
singing  Elder  James  E.  Faust,  president 
of  the  Cottonwood  Stake,  will  offer  the 
invocation. 


The  Tabernacle  Choir  Men's  Chorus 


sang  the  hymn,  "The  Spirit  of  God 
Like  A  Fire  Is  Burning." 

President  James  E.  Faust  of  the  Cot- 
tonwood Stake  offered  the  opening 
prayer. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

The  invocation,  as  already  stated, 
was  offered  by  Elder  James  E.  Faust, 
president  of  the  Cottonwood  Stake.  The 
Men's  Chorus  of  the  Tabernacle  Choir 
will  now  sing,  "Praise  the  Lord,  His 
Glories  Show,"  Elder  Richard  P.  Condie 
directing. 

Selection  by  the  Tabernacle  Choir 
Men's  Chorus,  "Praise  the  Lord,  His 
Glories  Show." 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

You  men  in  the  300  other  assemblies 
cannot  see  this  glorious  group  of  the 
Priesthood  here  in  the  Tabernacle,  but 
we  sincerely  pray  that  you  heard  that 
inspirational  singing  by  this  Tabernacle 
Choir  Men's  Chorus.  We  pray  that  the 
spirit  they  have  given  us  this  night  and 
the  spirit  that  you  have  brought  with 
you,  my  dear  fellow  laborers,  will  be 
felt  throughout  this  land  in  all  its  ex- 
tremity, wherever  the  Priesthood  is 
gathered  tonight. 

We  unite  in  saying  God  bless  you  all, 
and  particularly  we  pray  that  the  mes- 


ELDER  HAROLD  B.  LEE 


77 


sage  given  you  this  night  by  Elder 
Harold  B.  Lee  and  Elder  Richard  L. 
Evans  regarding  the  correlating  of  our 
studies,  Melchizedek,  Aaronic,  and 
auxiliary,  may  be  understood  and  taken 
to  heart.  It  is  one  of  the  greatest  under- 
takings that  have  yet  been  presented 
to  the  Priesthood.  It  has  been  under 
consideration  for  many  years  and  we 
hope  and  pray  that  it  will  be  presented 


tonight  so  that  all  presidencies  of  stakes, 
bishoprics  of  wards,  presidents  of  quo- 
rums, and  presidencies  of  the  auxiliary 
organizations  throughout  the  Church 
will  glimpse  its  significance  and  its 
magnitude. 

Our  first  speaker  will  be  Elder  Harold 
B.  Lee  of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve, 
and  Chairman  of  the  Melchizedek 
Priesthood  Committee. 


ELDER  HAROLD  B.  LEE 

Of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


I  have  a  tremendous  feeling  of  in- 
adequacy as  I  respond  to  the  assignment 
of  President  McKay  and  seek  for  the 
strength  of  the  prayers  of  the  priesthood 
of  the  Church  to  the  end  that  this  few 
minutes  might  be  informative  and  give 
you  something  of  the  plans  which  are 
now  to  go  forward  on  this  most  vital 
subject. 

I  should  like  to  introduce  the  thoughts 
which  I  shall  express  by  reading  a  text 
that  to  me  has  particular  significance. 
I  quote  from  the  words  of  the  Apostle 
Paul,  speaking  of  the  different  organiza- 
tions of  the  Church  within  what  he 
called  "the  body  of  Christ,"  by  which 
he  meant  the  Church: 

"For  the  body  is  not  one  member,  but 
many. 

"If  the  foot  shall  say,  Because  I  am  not 
the  hand,  I  am  not  of  the  body;  is  it 
therefore  not  of  the  body? 

"And  if  the  ear  shall  say,  Because  I 
am  not  the  eye,  I  am  not  of  the  body; 
is  it  therefore  not  of  the  body?  .  .  . 

"But  now  hath  God  set  the  members 
every  one  of  them  in  the  body,  as  it  hath 
pleased  him.  .  .  . 

"But  now  are  they  many  members, 
yet  but  one  body. 

"And  the  eye  cannot  say  unto  the 
hand,  I  have  no  need  of  thee:  nor  again 
the  head  to  the  feet,  I  have  no  need 
of  you.  .  .  . 

".  .  .  but  God  hath  tempered  the  body 
together,  .  .  . 

"That  there  should  be  no  schism  in 
the  body;  but  that  the  members  should 
have  the  same  care  one  for  another.  .  .  . 

"Now  ye  are  the  body  of  Christ,  and 
members  in  particular. 

"And  God  hath  set  some  in  the 


church,  first  apostles,  secondarily  proph- 
ets, thirdly  teachers,  .  .  .  then  .  .  .  helps 
(and)  governments.  .  .  ."  (See  1  Cor. 
12:14-28.) 

In  the  great,  modern-day  revelation 
on  Church  government,  the  Lord  con- 
cludes with  this  statement: 

"Behold,  this  is  the  way  that  mine 
apostles,  in  ancient  days,  built  up  my 
church  unto  me. 

"Therefore,  let  every  man  stand  in 
his  own  office,  and  labor  in  his  own 
calling;  and  let  not  the  head  say  unto 
the  feet  it  hath  no  need  of  the  feet;  for 
without  the  feet  how  shall  the  body  be 
able  to  stand? 

"Also  the  body  hath  need  of  every 
member,  that  all  may  be  edified  to- 
gether, that  the  system  may  be  kept 
perfect."  (D&C  84:108-110.) 

Obviously,  as  you  think  about  those 
scriptures,  they  were  given  to  impress 
the  need  for  the  constant  and  continued 
consultations  and  correlations  of  the 
various  subdivisions,  the  priesthood  quo- 
rums and  the  auxiliaries  and  all  other 
units  within  the  kingdom  of  God  for  at 
least  four  reasons: 

First,  that  each  organization  was  to 
have  its  specific  function,  and  it  was 
not  to  usurp  the  field  of  the  other, 
which  would  be  like  the  eye  saying  to 
the  hand,  "I  have  no  need  of  thee." 

Second,  that  each  sub-division  is  of 
equal  importance  in  the  work  of  salva- 
tion, just  as  each  part  of  the  physical 
body  is  essential  to  a  complete  human 
being. 

Third,  that  all  may  be  edified  or 
educated  together;  and 

Fourth,  that  the  system  may  be  kept 
perfect,  or  in  other  words,  that  within 


78 

Saturday,  September  30 

the  framework  of  the  Lord's  plan  of 
organization  for  the  salvation  of  his 
children,  the  Church  will  perform  as 
a  perfectly  organized  human  body,  with 
every  member  functioning  as  it  was 
intended. 

Throughout  the  scriptures  there  runs 
a  phrase,  again  and  again  repeated  to 
remind  us  of  the  whole  purpose  of  the 
Lord's  plan.  As  he  told  his  prophet, 
his  purpose  was  ".  .  .  to  bring  to  pass  the 
immortality  and  eternal  life  of  man," 
(Moses  1 :39)  or  to  be  more  specific  and, 
putting  it  into  the  language  of  our 
present  leaders  as  they  have  counseled 
us,  "to  plant  and  to  make  grow  in  every 
member  of  the  Church  a  testimony  of 
Christ  and  of  the  gospel  and  of  the 
divinity  of  the  mission  of  Joseph  Smith 
and  the  Church  and  to  bring  the  people 
to  order  their  lives  in  accordance  with 
the  laws  and  principles  of  the  restored 
gospel  and  priesthood." 

The  repeated  necessity  for  re-examina- 
tion of  the  programs,  the  activities,  and 
the  prescribed  courses  of  study  has  been 
apparent  over  the  years  to  make  certain 
that  the  original  concepts  relative  to 
each  organization  were  being  adhered  to, 
that  each  in  its  field  was  functioning  up 
to  its  capacity,  that  one  was  not  usurp- 
ing the  field  of  activity  designed  for  the 
other,  and  that  duplications  and  over- 
lappings  were  reduced  to  a  minimum. 

I  found  an  apt  illustration  which  il- 
lustrates the  importance  of  this  periodical 
re-examination  and  re-appraisal.  In 
history  there  is  found  recorded  the 
account  of  a  famed  debate  known  as  the 
Webster-Hayne  Debate  in  Congress  in 
which  Daniel  Webster  made  this  state- 
ment that  seems  to  apply  to  the  point 
I  want  to  make.  Said  Daniel  Webster: 

"Mr.  President,  when  the  mariner  has 
been  tossed  about  for  many  days  in 
thick  weather  on  an  unknown  sea,  he 
naturally  avails  himself  of  the  first 
pause  in  the  storm,  the  earliest  glance 
of  the  sun  to  take  his  latitude  and  ascer- 
tain how  far  the  elements  have  driven 
him  from  his  true  course.  Let  us  imi- 
tate this  prudence  and  before  we  float 
on  the  waves  of  this  debate  refer  to  the 
point  from  which  we  departed,  that  we 
may  at  least  be  able  to  conjecture 
where  we  now  are." 

There  are  several  illustrations  as  we 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Second  Day 

have  studied  the  history  of  these  surveys 
of  the  past,  to  illustrate  why  this  is 
necessary.  We  found,  for  example,  that 
some  years  ago  a  responsible  head  of 
one  of  the  organizations  asked  the  ques- 
tion as  to  whether  or  not  a  committee  of 
the  Council  of  the  Twelve  was  not  to  be 
limited  to  the  sole  function  of  passing 
only  on  the  doctrinal  content  of  pro- 
posed manuals  rather  than  to  have  any- 
thing to  say  on  matters  of  policy  in 
selecting  the  subject  matter  for  the 
manual. 

Paraphrasing  the  words  of  Webster: 
"We  are  to  again  see  how  far  we  have 
departed  from  the  true  course,  that  we 
may  at  least  conjecture  where  we 
now  are." 

This  whole  problem  of  correlation 
grows  and  develops,  if  you  will  just  stop 
to  think  for  a  moment  what  the  rapid 
expansion  and  growth  of  the  Church 
entails.  Within  each  year  by  conver- 
sion or  convert  baptisms  and  natural 
increase,  there  are  enough  people  being 
added  to  the  Church  to  make  from 
seventeen  to  twenty  stakes  each  year. 
Since  I  came  to  be  a  member  of  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve,  twenty  years  and 
six  months  ago,  we  have  grown  from  138 
stakes  now  to  335  or  336,  whatever  it  be, 
in  just  that  twenty  year  period. 

There  is  an  increasing  need  for  build- 
ings, but  with  that  an  impressed  need 
for  using  every  economy  possible  to  have 
nothing  unnecessary  in  those  buildings, 
which  economies  can  come  about  by 
proper  correlation.  We  have  increased 
temple  work,  increased  need  for  gene- 
alogical work  with  increased  numbers 
of  temples.  We  have  an  increase  in 
welfare  activities.  We  have  an  increase 
in  tithes  and  offerings.  And  so  we 
might  go  on  to  determine  the  great  ex- 
pansion of  the  Church. 

Within  the  memories  of  many  of 
the  present  General  Authorities,  there 
have  been  surveys  of  this  kind,  or  re- 
examinations about  twenty  years  apart. 
One  of  the  first  comprehensive  studies 
was  undertaken  under  the  general  chair- 
manship of  President  David  O.  McKay, 
who  was  then  the  chairman  of  the 
general  priesthood  committee  of  the 
Church,  and  this  was  about  forty  years 
ago.  To  me  it  is  a  significant  thing  that 


ELDER  HAROLD  B.  LEE 


79 


this  problem  of  proper  correlation  seems 
to  have  been  in  President  McKay's 
mind  through  all  of  this  time  and  per- 
haps as  long  as  he  has  been  one  of  the 
General  Authorities. 

In  1920,  the  first  such  study  was 
made,  again  in  1938,  and  after  calling 
attention  to  the  continued  expansion  of 
the  fields  of  activity  and  increasing 
overlapping  of  the  several  Church 
organizations,  President  McKay,  who  by 
this  time  was  now  a  member  of  the 
First  Presidency,  called  attention  to  this, 
and  I  quote  from  a  working  copy  that 
he  has  left  with  us:  "The  necessity  to 
provide  a  course  of  study  and  of  activi- 
ties that  shall  bring  the  young  people 
of  missionary  age  to  a  substantial  and 
rounded  knowledge  of  the  principles  of 
the  gospel  all  require  that  the  work  of 
the  auxiliary  organizations  and  of  our 
educational  institutions  should  be  co- 
ordinated and  as  among  the  various 
organizations  de-limited  as  well  as  uni- 
fied and  standardized  to  avoid  dupli- 
cation and  overlapping  and  to  provide 
the  training  which  is  required  by  the 
young  people." 

In  March  of  last  year,  1960,  the  First 
Presidency  wrote  to  the  general  priest- 
hood committee  and  called  our  attention 
to  the  need  for  better  correlation  be- 
tween and  among  the  courses  of  study 
put  out  by  the  general  priesthood  com- 
mittee and  other  responsible  heads  of 
other  committees  of  the  General  Author- 
ities for  the  instruction  of  the  priesthood 
of  the  Church  and  an  urgent  need  of 
correlation  of  studies  among  the  auxil- 
iaries of  the  Church,  to  avoid  the 
necessity  for  new  courses  of  study  every 
year,  having  the  ultimate  objective  of 
building  up  a  knowledge  of  the  gospel, 
a  power  to  promulgate  the  same,  a  pro- 
motion of  the  growth,  faith,  and 
stronger  testimony  of  the  principles  of 
the  gospel  among  the  members  of  the 
Church,  and  expressed  the  view  in  that 
letter  to  the  general  priesthood  com- 
mittee that  if  the  whole  church  cur- 
riculum were  viewed  from  the  vantage 
point  of  what  might  be  termed  the 
total  purpose  of  each  and  all  these 
organizations,  it  would  bring  about  such 
a  collation  and  limitation  of  subjects 
and  subject-matter  elaborated  in  the 
various  auxiliary  courses  as  would  tend 


to  the  building  of  efficiency  in  the 
auxiliaries  themselves  in  the  matter  of 
carrying  out  the  purposes  lying  behind 
their  creation  and  function. 

That  study,  commenced  early  last 
year,  has  continued  on  for  this  last  year 
and  a  half,  going  on  now  two  years, 
under  the  direction  of  the  educational 
committee,  which  is  a  sub-committee  of 
the  general  priesthood  committee,  and 
we  were  authorized  to  select  and  set  to 
work  a  survey  committee  to  go  back  over 
all  the  history  of  each  Church  unit  and 
to  aid  the  educational  committee  in  that 
study  to  determine  the  aims  and  ob- 
jectives in  the  beginning  of  each  organ- 
ization and  to  review  the  expansions 
and  changes  which  have  taken  place  and 
to  study  all  previous  recommendations 
on  the  subject  of  correlation.  May  I  say  as 
well,  that  the  key  to  what  now  we  have 
to  propose  and  which  I  will  explain 
to  you  in  a  few  minutes,  and  a  guide 
to  the  educational  committee  and  the 
research  staff,  was  a  communication 
from  the  First  Presidency  in  one  of 
these  studies  some  while  back  when 
they  called  attention  to  the  fact  that 
"the  home  was  the  basis  of  a  righteous 
life  and  that  no  other  instrumentality 
can  take  its  place  nor  fulfil  its  essen- 
tial functions  and  that  the  utmost  the 
auxiliaries  can  do  is  to  aid  the  home 
in  its  problems,  giving  special  aid  and 
succor  where  such  is  necessary,  that  in 
aiding  the  home  the  auxiliaries  may  well 
consider  thinking  of  home-life  of  the 
people  as  having  three  periods,  the  first, 
from  birth  to  twelve  years  of  age  or  the 
childhood  period;  then  the  youth  period 
from  twelve  years  up  to  the  early  twen- 
ties; and  then  adulthood,  from  the  early 
twenties  on  to  the  end  of  life." 

With  that  as  the  key  and  the  letter 
given  from  the  First  Presidency  as  the 
blueprint,  it  is  the  feeling  now  of  the 
First  Presidency  and  the  Council  of  the 
Twelve,  after  reviewing  these  studies, 
that  there  should  be  presently  more  co- 
ordination and  correlation  between  the 
activities  and  programs  of  the  various 
priesthood  quorums  and  auxiliary  or- 
ganizations and  the  educational  system 
of  the  Church.  They  have  decided,  there- 
fore, that  there  should  be  established  an 
all-Church  co-ordinating  council  and 
three  co-ordinating  committees:  one  for 
the  children,  one  for  the  youth,  and  one 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


80 

Saturday,  September  30 

for  adults.  This  council  and  the  three 
committees  will  correlate  and  co-or- 
dinate the  total  instructional  and  activity 
programs  of  all  auxiliaries  and  priest- 
hood quorums  which  the  brethren 
have  now  suggested  should  include 
missionary  instructions  and  activities 
for  the  entire  Church. 

This  council  and  committees  will  be 
composed  of  representatives  of  the  Gen- 
eral Authorities,  the  executive  heads  of 
the  auxiliary  boards,  and  representatives 
of  various  agencies  and  auxiliaries  of 
the  Church. 

I  will  now  indicate  just  what  that 
personnel  will  look  like,  as  it  now  gets 
into  action:  The  all-Church  co-ordinat- 
ing council  will  be  composed  of  a  chair- 
man, who  will  be  one  of  the  Council 
of  the  twelve,  and  three  General  Au- 
thorities, all  of  whom  will  be  members 
of  the  twelve:  one  representing  the 
children,  one  representing  youth,  and 
one  representing  the  adults,  and  a  secre- 
tary. The  three  General  Authorities 
will  be  the  chairmen  of  their  re- 
spective committees.  There  will  be 
a  secretary  and  secretaries  from  each  of 
the  co-ordinating  committees,  the  Pre- 
siding Bishop,  a  member  of  the 
Melchizedek  Priesthood  committee,  an 
executive  of  the  Church  educational  sys- 
tem, the  president  or  superintendent  of 
the  following  auxiliaries:  Relief  Society, 
Sunday  School,  YMMIA,  YWMIA,  and 
the  Primary  Association. 

The  function  of  the  all-Church  co- 
ordinating council  is  to  formulate  policy 
which  will  govern  the  planning,  the 
writing,  co-ordination,  and  implementa- 
tion of  the  entire  Church  curriculum. 
In  addition  to  the  organization  of  the 
co-ordinating  council,  three  co-ordinat- 
ing committees  will  be  formed  under 
the  direction  and  policies  of  that  coun- 
cil as  I  have  said.  The  personnel  of 
the  children's  co-ordinating  committee, 
for  example,  will  be  made  up  of  a  chair- 
man, one  of  the  twelve;  there  will  be  a 
committee  secretary,  and  the  best- 
qualified  people  in  the  Church  repre- 
senting children,  most  of  whom  will  be 
selected  from  the  general  boards  of  the 
Primary  and  the  Sunday  School.  The 
function  of  this  committee  will  be  to 
plan,  provide,  write,  and  co-ordinate 
curricula  and  activities  for  children  in 


Second  Day 

age  groups  which  d6  riot  overlap,  includ- 
ing courses  of  study,  activities,  and  mate- 
rials for  children  to  twelve  years  of  age, 
and  then  these  functions  will  be  carried 
out  under  the  co-ordinating  council. 

The  youth  co-ordinating  committee 
will  be  made  up  of  a  chairman,  one  of 
the  twelve,  a  committee  secretary,  and 
the  best-qualified  people  in  the  Church, 
representing  youth,  mainly  selected 
from  the  Presiding  Bishopric,  general 
boards  of  the  YMMIA  and  YWMIA, 
Sunday  School,  and  the  general  church 
school  system.  The  function  of  this  com- 
mittee will  be  to  plan,  write,  provide, 
and  co-ordinate  curricula  and  activities 
for  youth  in  age  groups,  using  the 
Aaronic  Priesthood  age  groups  as  a  guide, 
including  courses  of  study,  activities, 
and  materials. 

And  the  adult  committee  will  be  com- 
posed of  a  chairman,  one  of  the  twelve, 
a  secretary,  and  the  best-qualified 
people  in  the  Church  representing  adults 
and  should  be  selected  from  the  Mel- 
chizedek Priesthood  committee,  the  gen- 
eral boards  of  Relief  Society,  MIA's, 
Sunday  School,  church  school  system, 
etc.,  and  it  will  be  their  function  to  plan 
and  write  and  provide  and  co-ordinate 
the  curriculum  for  adults. 

These  heads  of  the  various  groups 
affected  have  been  notified  by  the  First 
Presidency  of  their  appointment  to  this 
council,  and  they  are  now  standing 
ready  for  the  call  to  this  important 
service.  The  auxiliary  organizations  of 
the  Church  in  their  present  form  will 
continue  to  implement  the  program  on 
the  Church  level,  on  the  stake  level, 
and  on  the  ward  level.  The  co-ordinat- 
ing committees  will  work  under  the 
direction  of  the  co-ordinating  council 
and  will  work  in  line  with  policies 
formed  by  that  council. 

The  auxiliary  boards  will  carry  out 
the  program  which  is  formulated  by 
the  co-ordinating  committee.  Now,  you 
must  bear  in  mind  that  the  co-ordinat- 
ing committees  will  be  composed  mainly 
of  general  board  members  who  are  al- 
ready writing  plans  and  programs  for 
the  Church.  Such  a  program  will  make 
it  possible  better  to  correlate  and  co- 
ordinate the  program  of  the  Church 
and  will  prevent  overlapping,  thus  mak- 
ing it  possible  to  teach  the  gospel  in 


ELDER  HAE 

a  more  efficient  and  effective  way  in 
harmony  with  the  instructions  of  the 
First  Presidency. 

In  the  adoption  of  such  a  program,  we 
may  possibly  and  hopefully  look  for- 
ward to  the  consolidation  and  simpli- 
fication of  church  curricula,  church 
publications,  church  buildings,  church 
meetings,  and  many  other  important 
aspects  of  the  Lord's  work. 

With  that  brief  statement  may  I  con- 
clude with  just  this  one  thought. 
Perhaps  one  of  the  most  oft-asked 
questions,  as  we  go  about  the  Church, 
is  "How,  with  the  Church  growing  to 
the  size  that  it  is,  can  we  hope  for  the 
present  General  Authorities  to  supervise 
and  to  keep  in  contact  with  the  grow- 
ing Church?"  My  answer  has  always 
been,  "I  am  sure  that  by  the  time  we 
arrive  at  the  place  where  we  need  more 
revelations  that  the  Lord  will  give  that 
light  and  knowledge  to  the  prophet 
whom  he  has  put  upon  the  earth  for 
that  purpose." 

Recently,  President  McKay,  acting  un- 
der the  inspiration  of  his  calling,  moved 
to  enlarge  the  activities  of  the  seventies, 
by  ordaining  some  of  the  presidents  of 
seventies  to  the  office  of  high  priests, 
with  the  explanation  that  it  would  make 
them  more  serviceable  and  more  effective 
in  their  work.  I  was  in  one  of  the 
Arizona  stakes,  and  I  had  one  of  the 
brethren  ask,  "Was  it  not  true  that 
the  Prophet  Joseph  had  said  that  it  was 
contrary  to  the  order  of  heaven  that  a 
high  priest  should  be  in  that  position?" 
I  merely  said  to  him,  "Had  you  ever 
thought  that  what  might  have  been 
contrary  to  the  order  of  heaven  in  the 
early  1830's  might  not  be  contrary  to 
the  order  of  heaven  in  1960?" 

Sometimes  we  forget  that  today, 
here  and  now,  we  have  a  prophet  to 
whom  the  Lord  is  giving  instruction  for 
our  good.  We  say,  "We  believe  all 
that  God  has  revealed,  all  that  He  does 
now  reveal,  and  we  believe  that  He  will 
yet  reveal  many  great  and  important 
things  pertaining  to  the  Kingdom  of 
God."  (Ninth  Article  of  Faith.) 

Almost  imperceptibly  we  see  the  hand 
of  the  Lord  moving  to  do  things,  and 
this  I  construe  to  be  a  consolidation  of 
the  forces  of  the  Lord  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  prophet,  just  as  in  an  army, 


)LD  B.  LEE  81 

in  order  to  meet  a  superior  force 
of  the  enemy  in  numbers,  the  forces  of 
our  opposition  to  the  forces  of  evil  must 
be  consolidated  in  order  to  give  them 
the  most  effective  possible  defense. 

We  are  in  a  program  of  defense.  The 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  was  set  upon 
this  earth  in  this  day  ".  .  .  for  a  defense, 
and  for  a  refuge  from  the  storm,  and 
from  wrath  when  it  should  be  poured 
out  without  mixture  upon  the  whole 
earth."  (D&C  115:6.)  This  is  a  move, 
which,  as  I  say,  has  lain  close  to  Presi- 
dent McKay's  mind  and  now  as  the 
President  of  the  Church  he  is  instruct- 
ing us  to  move  forward,  that  we  con- 
solidate to  make  more  efficient,  and 
more  effective  the  work  of  the  priest- 
hood, the  auxiliaries,  and  the  other 
units  in  order  that  we  may  conserve 
our  time,  our  energy,  and  our  efforts 
toward  the  prime  purpose  for  which  the 
Church  itself  has  been  organized.  We 
must  not  forget  what  the  Lord  said,  that 
he  had  given  a  parable  to  teach  us  a 
great  lesson,  and  concluded  the  parable 
by  saying,  "I  say  unto  you,  be  one;  and 
if  ye  are  not  one  ye  are  not  mine." 
(Ibid.,  38:27.) 

When  I  remembered  that,  I  remem- 
bered a  revelation  that  President  John 
Taylor  received  when  the  leaders  were 
wondering  about  the  relationship  of 
the  seventies  to  the  high  priests,  and  in 
a  very  pertinent,  significant  statement, 
the  Lord  gave  this  revelation  to  Presi- 
dent John  Taylor: 

"What  ye  have  written  is  my  will 
and  is  acceptable  unto  me  and  further- 
more, thus  saith  the  Lord  unto  the  First 
Presidency  and  unto  the  Twelve,  unto 
the  Seventies  and  unto  all  my  Holy 
Priesthood,  let  not  your  hearts  be 
troubled,  neither  be  ye  concerned  about 
the  management  and  the  organizations 
of  my  Church  and  Priesthood  and  the 
accomplishment  of  my  work.  Fear  not 
and  observe  my  laws,  and  I  will  reveal 
unto  you  from  time  to  time,  through 
the  channels  that  I  have  appointed 
everything  that  shall  be  necessary  for 
the  future  development  and  the  rolling 
forth  of  my  Kingdom  and  for  the  build- 
ing up  and  the  establishment  of  my 
Zion,  for  ye  are  my  Priesthood  and  I  am 
your  God."  (B.  H.  Roberts,  Seventy's 
Course  in  Theology,  Vol.  I,  p.  10.) 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


82 

Saturday,  September  30 

To  which  I  also  bear  my  humble 
testimony,  that  the  Lord  is  revealing  to 
President  McKay  just  as  certainly  here 
and  now  and  this  becomes  an  instruc- 
tion as  inspired  as  any  instruction  has 
been  given  and  for  us  to  remember  as 
members  of  the  priesthood  if  we  will  just 
keep  our  eye  on  the  President  of  this 
Church  and  look  to  him  today  for  God's 
revelations,  we  will  see  him  moving  to 
do  the  thing  that  will  be  for  the  salva- 
tion of  the  children  of  men  in  the  most 
effective  way  possible,  and  I  bear  that 


Second  Day 

humble  testimony  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 


President  David  O.  McKay: 

Thank  you,  Elder  Lee,  for  that  plain, 
emphatic  presentation  of  this  great  new 
plan  for  correlating  the  work  and  studies 
of  the  Church.  Elder  Richard  L.  Evans 
of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve,  and  also 
one  of  the  General  Committee,  will  now 
speak  to  us  on  the  same  subject. 


ELDER  RICH 

Of  the  Council  of 

President  McKay  and  my  beloved 
brethren:  As  I  see  you  before  me  here 
and  contemplate  some  three  hundred 
other  congregations  meeting  elsewhere 
at  this  hour,  a  pride  and  gratitude  fill 
my  soul  for  being  part  of  this  great 
brotherhood  of  the  priesthood. 

Before  turning  to  the  specific  topic 
that  Brother  Lee  has  so  ably  and 
comprehensively  and  understandingly 
presented  (and  my  remarks  will  be 
only  by  way  of  emphasis  of  what  he 
has  already  said)  I  should  like  to  ex- 
press my  missing  of  President  Clark, 
who  so  long  has  been  so  much  a  part 
of  these  gatherings,  and  my  love  for 
President  McKay,  which  he  knows  of 
and,  with  you,  my  loyalty  and  sustain- 
ing of  him  with  all  my  heart,  and  of 
those  associated  with  him. 

Earnestly  I  have  sought  help  in  this 
assignment  and  would  now  suggest 
some  few  side  lights  on  the  subject  that 
may  re-emphasize  the  need  for  that 
which  has  long  been  contemplated  and 
considered  and  studied  and  is  now  about 
to  be. 

In  a  recent  world  tour,  as  we  touched 
in  some  sixteen  countries,  we  became 
more  aware  of  the  hundreds  of  mil- 
lions of  mankind;  we  became  more 
aware  also  of  the  ever-widening  respon- 
sibility of  the  Church  and  of  the  need 
for  our  widening  influence  and  greater 
distribution  of  our  effort. 

Brother  Lee  has  mentioned  the  growth 
of  the  Church.  If  we  were  to  cover 
the  world  with  ten  million  people  in 


RD  L.  EVANS 

le  Twelve  Apostles 

each  mission  (if  my  decimal  point  is 
put  in  the  right  place)  it  would  take 
about  three  hundred  or  some  five  times 
more  missions  than  we  now  have.  (If 
my  decimal  point  is  in  the  wrong  place, 
we  are  really  in  trouble!) 

In  a  book  which  Brother  William  E. 
Berrett  has  prepared  cor  priesthood 
quorum  study  of  Book  of  Mormon 
subjects  and  themes,  he  recalls  this 
startling  illustration  on  population  from 
some  years  ago:  that  if  all  people  in  the 
world  were  to  line  up  thirty-six  abreast 
and  pass  a  point  in  military  marching 
order,  they  would  never  pass  completely, 
because  the  rate  of  those  arriving  in  the 
world  would  be  such  that  the  parade 
would  be  never-ending,  and  the  Church 
and  kingdom  of  God  has  responsibility 
for  all  of  them — however  many  there 
are  and  however  many  there  may  be 
comingl  If  we  project  such  figures  to 
the  present  and  the  future  and  add  to 
them  in  geometric  ratio,  we  can 
glimpse  the  complexities  and  the 
responsibilities. 

I  heard,  in  a  great  gathering  in  Tokyo, 
Dr.  Henry  Heald,  president  of  the  Ford 
Foundation,  give  an  account  of  some  of 
the  world-wide  projects  which  his  or- 
ganization has  undertaken  in  its 
philanthropic  distribution  of  many  mil- 
lions of  dollars  among  many  millions 
of  men,  in  trying  to  solve  some  prob- 
lems and  alleviate  some  conditions,  and 
he  quoted  a  phrase  that  may  be  perti- 
nent to  the  point  at  which  we  have 
arrived.    He  spoke  of  the  "elimination 


ELDER  RICHARD  L.  EVANS 


83 


of  the  insignificant,"  and  I  think  it  is 
apparent  to  all  of  us  that  we  may  have 
arrived  at  that  point:  the  elimination  of 
the  insignificant  and  of  the  inconse- 
quential. To  borrow  a  sentence  recently 
read,  "It  is  getting  to  where  our  neces- 
sities are  too  luxurious  and  our  luxuries 
too  necessary."  I  think  this  phrase 
used  by  Dr.  Heald,  the  elimination  of 
the  inconsequential  or  insignificant,  is 
pertinent  to  this  problem. 

In  the  June  issue  of  the  Era,  is  a 
sentence  from  a  poet,  which  says:  "I  am 
full  fed,  and  yet  I  hunger."  Now,  we 
have  been  full  fed  in  many  areas,  and 
yet  we  hunger  in  others,  and  we  will, 
it  seems,  have  to  have  a  wider  distribu- 
tion of  our  effort  and  our  influence, 
the  elimination  of  unnecessary  duplica- 
tion, of  internal  competition,  if  there  is 
any,  and  a  fuller  coverage  of  some 
neglected  areas.  We  have  recognized 
that  there  is  "One  Lord,  one  faith,  one 
baptism,  .  .  ."  (Eph.  4:5.)  We  must 
recognize  that  it  is  one  boy,  one  girl, 
one  person,  with  whom  we  are  working 
and  always  and  ever  have  in  mind  what 
every  program  does  to  the  person,  to  the 
man,  the  boy,  the  girl,  and  know  that 
the  organizations  are  there  so  that  there 
shall  be  a  fulness  of  life  for  each  and 
all,  and  not  for  their  own  sake  or  to 
perpetuate  any  particular  program.  We 
must  have  balance  and  feed  all  sides  of 
ourselves,  as  suggested  by  an  eminent 
churchman  who  said,  "The  Church  can 
be  interested  in  no  less  than  God  is  in- 
terested in.  Religion  has  to  do  with 
everything." 

The  gospel  enters  into  everything, 
and  it  would  not  be  the  purpose  of  this 
newly  proposed  program,  as  I  under- 
stand it,  to  take  anything  essential  from 
any  area,  but  to  add  unto  as  to  essen- 
tials and  to  do  all  things  more  fully 
and  effectively.  And  as  to  superficial  or 
unessential  things,  I  think  we  must 
have  courage  to  look  at  all  programs 
in  the  light  of  present  needs,  as  did 
the  founders  of  these  organizations  be- 
fore us,  as  they  brought  them  into  being. 
This  does  not  necessarily  mean  a 
thinning  out  of  the  over- all  program, 
but  it  means  a  reappraisal,  and  per- 
haps if  the  First  Presidency  so  sug- 
gests a  redistribution,  a  redefinition, 
and  an  abridgment  in  unessential  areas, 


a  better  use  of  time,  of  effort,  and 
energy.  It  could  mean,  and  well  could, 
I  would  suppose,  more  emphasis  on 
the  home. 

I  am  thinking  of  a  phrase:  flexibility 
and  firmness.  These  the  Church  must 
have:  the  flexibility  to  change,  to  meet 
conditions  as  they  come,  with  firm- 
ness of  principles  and  of  instruction  and 
of  gospel  precepts  and  commandments, 
never  tampering  with  the  solid  founda- 
tions, but  ever  keeping  flexible  in  meet- 
ing current  conditions  and  being 
discriminating  as  between  what  is  super- 
structure and  what  is  bedrock  founda- 
tion, and  always  being  prepared  to  m  ake 
the  necessary  adjustment  between  the 
two. 

Our  opportunities  with  young  people 
are  perishable.  We  are  aware  of  this 
as  young  men  leave  us,  sometimes  sud- 
denly, under  the  circumstances  in 
which  we  live,  and  this  calls  for  the 
teaching  of  the  whole  gospel  to  every- 
one, and  perhaps  earlier  than  we  have 
before,  in  a  well-rounded  program  that 
will  reach  every  person  on  all  facets  and 
all  sides  of  himself.  There  is  no  magic 
formula  for  it  except  the  simple  teach- 
ing of  the  truth  to  everyone  in  an 
orderly  program  and  procedure. 

This  would  not  necessarily  change  the 
names  or  basic  traditions  of  any  organ- 
izations, but  it  would  define  them  and 
prescribe  their  function  as  to  each  area 
and  as  to  any  overlapping.  This  will 
require  more  of  everything  from  all  of 
us,  this  great  growth  of  the  Church  and 
the  extending  of  our  organization  and 
influence — more  of  our  tithes,  more  of 
our  time,  more  of  our  offerings  and 
our  effort,  as  we  seek  to  absorb  those 
who  come  to  us  as  well  as  those  who 
already  are  with  us. 

Now  may  I  close  with  one  or  two 
short  quotes,  one  from  the  Psalmist, 
which  I  think  is  pertinent  to  this  pro- 
gram as  proposed:  "Teach  me  thy  way, 
O  Lord,  and  lead  me  in  a  plain  path, 
.  .  ."  (Psalm  27:11.) 

The  other,  which  I  borrow  from  a  dis- 
tinguished friend,  as  I  beard  him  give 
it  at  a  meeting  far  from  here:  "Face  the 
future  courageously  and  with  determina- 
tion. Echo  not  the  cowardly  words  of 
the  nerveless  Hamlet  who  voiced  the 
thought,  familiar  to  all,  'the  time  is 


84 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Saturday,  September  30 

out  of  joint:  Oh,  cursed  spite,  that 
I  was  ever  born  to  set  it  right!'  Cry, 
rather,  with  Rupert  Brooke  who,  sail- 
ing, for  the  hard  campaign  in  Galli- 
poli,  declared,  'Now  God  be  thanked 
who  hath  matched  us  with  this  hour.' " 

With  you,  I  thank  God  that  we  are 
matched  with  this  hour  and,  with  you, 
pray  for  his  guidance  and  acknowledge 
to  him  our  thanks  for  the  prophet  who 
leads  us,  who  directs  this  program,  who 
has  long  had  it  close  to  his  heart,  and 
pray  with  you  that  it  may  go  forward 
for  the  simplification,  the  elimination 
of  all  duplications  and  competition  and 
unessentials,  and  the  enriching  of  all 
that  is  essential  in  every  life,  everywhere 
in  the  world. 

God  bless  you,  my  brethren.  I  leave 
with  you  my  witness  of  the  truth  of 
this  work,  of  the  reality  that  God  lives, 


Second  Day 

of  the  divinity  of  his  Son,  our  Savior, 
and  of  the  reality  of  the  restoration  of 
the  gospel,  and  the  inspired  leadership 
of  the  prophet  of  the  present  time,  and 
I  do  it  in  Jesus'  name.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Thank  you,  Brother  Evans.  The  Male 
Chorus  and  Congregation  will  now  sing 
"Redeemer  Of  Israel,"  with  Richard  P. 
Condie  conducting. 

The  Tabernacle  Choir  Men's  Chorus 
and  the  Congregation  joined  in  singing 
the  hymn,  "Redeemer  Of  Israel." 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

We  shall  now  hear  from  President 
Hugh  B.  Brown  of  the  First  Presidency. 


PRESIDENT  HUGH  B.  BROWN 

Counselor  in  the  First  Presidency 


My  dear  brethren,  I  think  that  in  a  long 
lifetime  of  Church  service  and  appearing 
before  various  sized  groups,  I  have  never 
felt  more  humble  than  I  do  tonight  as 
I  stand  before  this  vast  group  of  men 
and  realize  that  more  than  as  many  as 
are  here  are  probably  listening  in 
other  places.  My  feeling  of  inadequacy 
is  emphasized  by  the  fact  that  you  have 
asked  me  to  assume  some  duties  and 
responsibilities  for  which  I  am  not  pre- 
pared. I  therefore  lean  heavily  tonight 
on  your  sympathy  and  God's  goodness. 

I  had  made  some  preparation,  having 
been  notified  that  I  would  be  asked 
to  speak,  but  I  am  leaving  my  notes  on 
the  chair  and  shall  attempt  extempora- 
neously, with  the  help  of  the  Lord,  to 
emphasize  what  has  been  said,  though 
I  may  not  be  able  to  add  thereto.  Elder 
Lee  and  Elder  Evans  have  given  us 
much  to  think  about.  Brother  Lee  inti- 
mated an  analogy  which  I  should  like 
for  a  moment  to  enlarge  upon. 

I  do  not  like  to  compare  the  Church 
to  an  army,  but  there  are  some  things 
that  are  similar.  At  least  in  both  or- 
ganizations we  are  dealing  with  human 
beings,  and  human  beings  are  pretty 
much   the   same  wherever  you  find 


them.  I  am  thinking  at  the  moment  of 
an  incident  in  1912  when  the  then 
highest  ranking  officer  in  the  British 
Army,  came  to  western  Canada  to  pro- 
mote the  organization  of  what  was  then 
known  as  the  militia.  He  called  all  the 
young  officers  who  were  in  training  into 
a  meeting.  Among  other  things,  he  said 
to  us,  and  I  can  only  paraphrase: 

"Gentlemen,  a  war  is  coming.  In  my 
opinion  it  cannot  be  delayed  more  than 
two  years.  It  is  going  to  be  the  worst 
war  in  history  thus  far,  and  I  am  here, 
to  do  what  I  can  to  prepare  the  nation 
for  what  is  ahead." 

His  prediction,  of  course,  as  to  the 
time  of  the  outbreak  of  the  war  was 
accurate,  because  the  war  started  for 
Britain  in  1914.  Subsequent  to  that 
time,  and  on  a  number  of  occasions,  it 
was  my  duty  to  talk  to  officers  in  the 
army.  Always,  under  instruction  from 
commanding  officers,  my  purpose  was, 
first  to  acquaint  the  officers,  so  far  as  I 
could,  with  the  strength  and  position  of 
the  enemy;  and  secondly,  to  remind  the 
men  of  their  duty  and  to  encourage  un- 
deviating  loyalty;  and  then  to  warn 
them  against  the  methods  employed  by 


PRESIDENT  Hi 

the  enemy  by  subtle  infiltration  and 
attempted  alienation. 

We  said  to  these  officers,  "Your  units 
will  not  be  stronger  than  their  leaders. 
You  can  pretty  well  judge  the  strength 
of  any  military  unit  by  the  quality  of 
its  leaders."  We  reminded  them  also 
that  the  lives  of  their  men  depended 
upon  their  efficiency  and  loyalty. 

Tonight  we  are  speaking  to  perhaps 
50,000  men,  and  every  man  is  a  volun- 
teer and  qualified  officer.  Upon  each 
one  of  you  there  is  great  responsibility 
regardless  of  where  you  are  working  or 
the  size  of  the  group  you  preside  over. 
Here,  as  in  the  army,  our  strength  is 
going  to  depend  in  large  measure  upon 
the  quality  of  our  officers,  and  our  pur- 
pose tonight  is  to  warn  you  priesthood 
holders,  and  through  you  the  men  and 
women  of  your  various  groups,  of  the 
existence,  strength,  location,  and  tactics 
of  the  enemy,  and  to  remind  you  that 
we  rely  on  your  absolute  loyalty  and 
that  preparedness  is  indispensable. 

In  the  army  too  frequently  we  refer 
to  fitness  as  only  physical  fitness.  To- 
night we  are  calling  upon  all  of  you 
officers  of  the  Church  to  be  fit  and 
ready,  physically,  mentally,  morally, 
and  spiritually,  for  the  war  that  lies 
ahead  because  the  enemy  is  determined 
to  destroy  all  that  we  hold  dear.  He  is 
thoroughly  organized;  he  is  cunning 
and  ruthless;  he  is  led  by  men  well 
trained  in  his  type  of  warfare;  and  the 
devil  is  his  commanding  officer.  Not 
only  must  we  meet  a  head-on  assault 
from  the  enemy,  but  the  more  danger- 
ous and  subtle  attack  will  be  by  infiltra- 
tion, when  human  termites  undertake  to 
undermine  our  forces.  I  believe,  my 
brethren,  the  time  has  come  when  every 
man  who  holds  the  priesthood  should 
figuratively  stand  himself  up  against  the 
wall  and  look  himself  over,  ask  himself 
some  questions  and  be  honest  with  his 
answers.  I  may  say  here,  you  may  as 
well  be  honest  when  you  are  talking 
to  yourself  because  the  man  you  are 
talking  to  knows  who  you  are  and  what 
you  are.  There  are  at  least  two  places 
when  a  man  will  be  honest,  and  that  is 
when  he  is  talking  to  himself  and  when 
he  is  in  his  closet  talking  with  God. 
Here  at  least  the  truth  will  be  distilled. 

Let  us  then  examine  ourselves  and 


3H  B.  BROWN  85 

ask  what  kind  of  men  we  are.  We 
might  make  a  pretty  good  showing  in 
public,  be  fairly  successful  in  business 
or  in  politics;  but  let  each  man  ask 
himself  what  kind  of  man  are  you  in 
the  home,  in  your  business,  in  your 
private  life.  If  you  do  not  like  what 
you  see  as  you  look  at  yourself,  then 
do  something  about  it  because  God  will 
not  hold  any  man  guiltless  who  simply 
confesses  his  sin  and  doesn't  abandon 
it,  or  who  admits  his  weakness  and 
doesn't  work  for  strength. 

May  I  pause  here  to  remind  all  of 
us  that  it  matters  little  what  position 
we  hold,  but  it  matters  much  what  we 
do  in  the  position  we  hold.  Brother 
Lee  referred  to  Paul's  reminder  that 
there  is  need  for  all  the  parts  of  the 
body.  I  am  thinking  of  the  Church  as 
the  body.  No  one  of  us  should  say  or 
think  at  any  time,  "If  I  were  in  some 
other  place,  I  could  display  my  superior 
ability  and  faith,  but  just  where  I  am 
I  do  not  get  a  chance  to  show  what  I 
can  do.  If  I  were  a  bishop  or  stake 
president  or  high  councilmen  or  one  of 
the  General  Authorities,  of  course,  I 
could  be  something  great,  but  down 
here  where  I  am  it  doesn't  amount 
to  much." 

Brethren,  when  we  stand  before  the 
Judgment  Bar  of  God — and  I  am  saying 
tonight  as  the  British  officer  said  in  1912, 
a  judgment  day  is  ahead — when  we 
stand  there,  I  think  we  will  not  be 
asked  what  position  we  held  in  the 
Church.  I  think  the  only  question,  if 
any  questions  are  necessary,  will  be, 
"What  did  you  do  with  the  job  assigned 
to  you?"  And  if  a  counselor  in  an 
elders'  quorum,  or  a  counselor  in  the 
bishopric,  or  a  man  in  any  other  posi- 
tion anywhere  in  the  Church  can  hon- 
estly say,  "I  did  the  best  I  could  to  fill 
the  position  assigned  to  me,"  if  he  can 
say  that  honestly,  and  if  one  of  the 
General  Authorities  cannot  say  it  hon- 
estly, I  would  rather  be  the  counselor  in 
the  elders'  quorum,  etc.,  because  I  think 
the  Lord  is  not  going  to  pay  much 
attention  to  any  label  one  may  have  on 
his  chest.  I  don't  think  the  Lord  is 
much  interested  in  labels.  He  knows  as 
we  do  that  labels  do  not  always  tell 
the  truth. 

My  thought  tonight,  then,  is:  Breth- 


86 

Saturday,  September  30 

ren,  in  connection  with  this  program 
that  has  been  presented  to  us  tonight, 
let  not  any  of  us  say,  "Now  they  are 
giving  us  something  more  to  do,  more 
organizations,  more  committees.  Let's 
join  some  other  church." 

Personally,  I  thank  God  for  the  op- 
portunity to  work.  I  am  grateful, 
among  other  things,  that  this,  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ,  gives  oppor- 
tunity to  every  man  and  woman  and 
children  as  well,  incidentally,  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  work  of  the  Lord.  May 
I  add,  there  is  no  position  in  this 
Church  that  is  not  bigger  than  the  man 
that  holds  it  as  there  is  room  for  growth 
in  every  position  or  calling.  Every  man 
should  be  apprised  of  that  and  realize 
that  in  any  position  in  the  Church 
there  is  opportunity  for  any  man  to 
employ  all  the  ability  with  which  the 
Lord  has  blessed  him. 

We  come  to  you  tonight  to  challenge 
you,  to  warn  you  that  there  is  a  war 
now  being  waged,  the  most  dangerous 
and  devastating — I  am  not  only  speaking 
of  a  war  with  arms — I  am  speaking  of 
an  ideological  war,  a  spiritual  war,  a 
war  in  which  the  enemy  is  endeavoring 
to  enslave  the  bodies  and  minds  and 
souls  of  men,  and  for  this  we  must  be 
prepared. 

Let  us  be  loyal  to  the  stakes  and 
wards,  missions  and  branches  to  which 
we  have  the  honor  to  belong.  Let  us 
be  true  to  ourselves  and  true  to  our 
leaders.  Again  a  quick  analogy.  I 
saw  instances  where  junior  officers 
criticized  senior  officers  because  they 
stayed  far  behind  the  lines  and  did  not 
know  what  was  going  on  in  the  trenches. 
I  am  speaking  of  World  War  I,  which 
definitely  dates  me,  but  I  am  willing 
to  take  that.  Very  often  the  junior 
officers  were  critical  of  the  senior 
officers  because  they  did  not  know  there 
was  a  rat  hole  in  a  dugout,  forgetful  of 
the  fact  that  the  man  back  there  upon 
whom  rested  the  total  responsibility  of 
the  entire  operation  had  something 
other  to  do  than  to  look  at  a  rat  hole. 
He  must  leave  that  to  the  man  who 
happens  to  be  in  that  dugout. 

At  the  head  of  our  force,  we  have  a 
prophet  of  God,  who  is  working  di- 
rectly under  Jesus  the  Christ,  who  joined 
issue  with  Beelzebub  when  the  founda- 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Second  Day 

tion  of  this  world  was  laid,  and  Beelze- 
bub, the  devil,  Lucifer,  declared  then 
that  he  would  never  rest  until  he 
enslaved  the  souls  of  men,  and  Christ 
declared  he  would  never  rest  until  all 
were  free  to  "choose  their  lives  and 
what  they'd  be." 

We,  then,  are  enlisted  in  an  army 
with  Christ  at  the  head  and  a  living 
prophet  through  whom  he  directs  his 
work.  Let  us  be  loyal  to  them,  true  to 
ourselves,  and  let  each  of  us  do  the 
job  assigned  to  him  in  the  place  where 
he  is  asked  to  work  to  the  best  of  his 
ability. 

I  want  to  assure  you  that  I  know  what 
it  means  to  be  asked  to  do  a  job  a 
thousand  times  too  big  for  me,  and  yet 
I  know  too  that  God  can  take  any  one 
of  us  and  do  anything  he  wants  to  do 
through  us.  Let  us  not  spend  time  ask- 
ing the  Lord  to  do  something  for  us 
when  he  is  waiting  and  anxious  to  do 
something  through  us.  Let  us  not  for- 
get that  the  priesthood  we  bear  is  not 
in  us  as  individuals,  but  the  power  of  it 
comes  through  us.  Let  us  keep  our- 
selves in  such  condition  that  that  power 
can  be  transmitted.  Let  us  go  forward 
as  President  McKay  admonished  us  at 
the  beginning  of  this  conference  and 
be  unafraid.  May  we  have  courage  and 
fortitude  and  faith  and  go  forward  with 
the  knowledge  that  though  we  will  un- 
doubtedly have  to  meet  many  difficult 
things,  with  God's  help  we  need  not 
fear. 

I  like  one  verse  of  the  "Battle  Hymn 
of  the  Republic." 

"He  has  sounded  forth  the  trumpet  that 
shall  never  call  retreat; 

He  is  sifting  out  the  hearts  of  men  be- 
fore His  judgment-seat: 

O,  be  swift,  my  soul,  to  answer  Him! 
Be  jubilant,  my  feet! 

Our  God  is  marching  on." 

(Julia  Ward  Howe.) 

God  bless  you,  my  brethren.  I  thank 
you  for  your  support.  I  want  to  tell 
you  from  intimate  association  that  we 
have  at  the  head  of  the  Church  today 
one  of  the  greatest  leaders  of  the  Dis- 
pensation of  the  Fulness  of  Times.  God 
has  honored  him,  and  we  who  sit  next 
to  him  day  by  day  see  the  work  of  the 


PRESIDENT  HENRY  D.  MOYLE 


87 


Church  being  outlined,  organized,  and 
going  forward  under  the  inspiration  of 
heaven.  I  testify  to  you  that  he  is  the 
prophet  of  God,  and  that  these  men 
who  are  associated  here  with  us  are 
true  and  loyal  to  him. 

I  leave  you  my  testimony  of  the 
restoration  of  the  gospel,  and  I  want 
you  to  know  that  the  President  and  all 
of  us  have  confidence  in  you,  that  you 
will  not  let  us  down  nor  be  untrue  to 
yourselves  nor  become  traitors  to  the 
cause.    Furthermore,  you  may  be  sure 


that  ultimately  righteousness  will  tri- 
umph. Truth  will  prevail.  The  Church 
has  been  organized  and  set  up.  It  is 
the  kingdom  of  God,  and  it  will  never 
be  thrown  down. 

God  bless  us  to  do  our  part.  To  this 
end  I  pray  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

President  Henry  D.  Moyle  will  be 
our  next  speaker. 


PRESIDENT  HENRY  D.  MOYLE 

Second  Counselor  in  the  First  Presidency 


My  dear  brethren,  I  am  sure  that  one  of 
the  purposes  for  which  this  great  corre- 
lation program  is  organized  and  one  of 
the  great  results  which  will  be  accom- 
plished by  it,  will  be  the  elimination, 
so  far  as  that  is  possible,  of  sin  and 
transgression  within  the  Church. 

This  week  many  of  us  read  headlines 
in  the  Deseret  News  which  disclosed 
that  all  was  not  well.  The  article  re- 
vealed more  of  the  details  of  the 
offenses  of  sex  deviates  among  teen- 
agers than  prudence  might  dictate,  but 
be  that  as  it  may,  the  news  is  shocking 
and  alarming.  We  might  not  have  paid 
as  much  attention  to  this  news  as  we 
did,  were  it  not  for  the  fact  that  from 
other  sources  transgressions  within  the 
Church  are  brought  to  our  attention. 
We  ask  ourselves  constantly  the  ques- 
tion, where  have  we  failed?  We  have 
had  these  young  people  from  the  time 
of  their  birth  until  the  time  of  their 
transgression.  Or,  if  we  lost  them 
somewhere  along  the  way,  then  we  have 
to  ask  ourselves  the  question,  why  did 
we  lose  them? 

Our  programs  in  our  auxiliary  organ- 
izations and  in  our  priesthood  quorums, 
we  look  upon  as  excellent.  Good  as 
they  are,  when  this  correlation  program 
gets  into  full  swing,  we  will  find  a  tre- 
mendous improvement.  The  principle 
of  improvement  seems  to  be  one  of  the 
cardinal  principles  of  the  gospel. 

There  are  two  things  that  I  should 
like  to  discuss  in  this  connection:  first 
is  the  question  of  interviews.    It  is  in- 


teresting because  there  are  nearly 
10,000  missionaries  in  the  world  today 
and  every  one  of  them,  I  hope  we  have 
not  a  single  exception,  have  been  inter- 
viewed by  their  bishop,  their  stake 
president,  a  General  Authority,  and  also 
their  mission  president.  But  it  is  these 
initial  interviews  that  concern  us  most. 

Do  young  men  come  to  their  bishops, 
preparatory  to  going  on  a  mission,  for 
an  interview  without  having  been 
previously  interviewed  upon  many  occa- 
sions by  their  bishops?  Every  young 
man  who  comes  to  a  stake  president  to 
be  interviewed  for  his  worthiness  to 
receive  the  Melchizedek  Priesthood  and 
be  ordained  to  the  office  of  an  elder 
should  know  exactly  what  is  expected 
of  him  and  what  he  may  expect  by  way 
of  interrogatories  which  he  will  be  ex- 
pected to  answer.  If  this  is  not  the 
case,  then  we  have  failed  somewhere 
along  the  line.  I  have  a  feeling  that 
some  of  our  failure  can  be  attributed  to 
the  fact  that  these  young  men  and 
young  women  have  not  been  inter- 
viewed as  frequently  or  as  thoroughly 
as  they  should  be  in  their  various  wards. 

You  have  received  word  from  the 
brethren  as  they  have  visited  your 
stakes,  that  it  is  not  only  proper  but  it 
is  essential  that  candidates  for  baptism 
at  the  age  of  eight  should  be  inter- 
viewed. It  is  inconceivable  that  a  bishop 
would  present  a  boy's  name  at  the  age 
of  twelve  to  be  ordained  a  deacon,  with- 
out having  given  that  boy  sufficient  of 
his  personal  time  and  attention  to  know 


88 

Saturday,  September  30 

the  state  of  mind  of  the  boy  as  well  as 
his  past  record,  to  know  what  the  likeli- 
hood is  of  his  carrying  on  in  righteous- 
ness to  manhood. 

Then  when  he  is  to  be  ordained  a 
teacher  and  a  priest,  there  should  be 
other  interviews,  each  one  a  little  more 
intimate,  each  one  a  little  more  em- 
bracing, and  then  we  come  to  this  all- 
important  interview  to  ascertain  whether 
or  not  he  has  conducted  himself  as 
a  holder  of  the  Aaronic  Priesthood  to 
be  worthy  now  to  receive  the  Higher 
Priesthood,  to  go  to  the  house  of  the 
Lord  to  receive  his  endowments,  to  go 
on  a  mission,  to  be  married,  whatever 
the  reason  may  be.  The  bishop  should 
never  let  that  opportunity  pass  without 
informing  himself  as  thoroughly  as  it  is 
possible  for  him  to  do  of  the  condition, 
spiritually,  temporally,  morally,  of  this 
young  man. 

In  all  of  these  interviews  and  many 
others,  because  we  are  always  calling 
young  men  and  young  women  to  as- 
sume responsibilities  in  the  Church, 
young  men  to  become  presidents  of 
their  deacons  quorum  or  members  of 
presidencies  of  the  teachers  quorum, 
or  the  bishop  calls  in  young  men  to 
assist  in  the  work  of  the  priests  quorum, 
we  ought  to  be  looking  for  opportuni- 
ties to  interview,  rather  than  to  mini- 
mize the  number.  In  each  instance  we 
ought  to  say  to  ourselves,  this  interview 
is  not  being  conducted  to  inform  me 
as  to  the  worthiness  of  this  young  man 
to  do  this,  that,  or  the  other,  alone,  but 
it  is  vitally  important  that  in  this  inter- 
view I  should  come  away  knowing  this 
young  man  is  fully  aware  of  his  posi- 
tion and  what  is  expected  of  him. 

There  have  been  bishops  in  the 
Church  who  have  succeeded  over  the 
years  in  never  missing  a  young  man, 
having  practically  a  hundred  percent 
record  of  his  young  men  in  his  ward 
going  into  the  mission  field  when  they 
reach  the  appropriate  age.  That  means 
that  all  bishops  could  approximate  that, 
and  that  in  place  of  having  one  out  of 
three  or  one  out  of  four  go  on  a  mission, 
we  would  have  at  least  fifty  percent;  we 
feel  that  ought  to  be  the  minimum,  and 
the  other  fifty  percent  we  would  like  to 
have  marry  in  the  temple. 

Now,  if  perchance,  such  a  result  can 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Second  Day 

be  accomplished  by  interviews,  by  the 
bishop  giving  to  these  young  people  of 
himself,  his  time,  knowing  them  inti- 
mately and  letting  them  in  a  sense  feel 
an  intimacy  towards  the  bishop,  then 
certainly  it  becomes  rather  a  simple 
process,  if  we  but  devote  ourselves 
thereto,  and  if  perchance  we  do  not  get 
all  the  boys,  it  certainly  would  be  an 
improvement  on  the  present.  I  just 
take  these  two  categories  of  activity, 
going  on  a  mission  and  getting  married 
in  the  temple.  I  just  have  a  feeling 
that  that  responsibility  rests  peculiarly 
between  the  bishop  and  his  young 
people. 

By  that  I  do  not  mean  that  the  entire 
responsibility  rests  upon  the  bishop.  It 
is  the  bishop's  duty  to  see  to  it,  first  and 
foremost,  that  the  home  in  which  that 
young  man  lives  is  an  environment  in 
which  he  can  grow  and  develop 
spiritually,  and  that  brings  me  to  the 
second  phase  of  the  work,  and  that  is 
our  ward  teaching. 

I  have  known  ward  teachers  who  have 
felt  pretty  sorry  about  the  fact  that 
having  failed  to  visit  a  home  rather 
regularly — I  mean  they  have  been 
regular  in  failing  to  visit  the  home — 
they  suddenly  find  that  out  of  that 
home  has  come  a  boy  who  has  seriously 
transgressed. 

We  cannot  help  saying  to  ourselves, 
I  wonder  if  I  had  gone  to  that  home 
more  often,  if  I  had  known  a  little 
more  about  the  family,  about  what  the 
boy  was  thinking,  I  would  have  been 
better  prepared  as  a  ward  teacher,  in 
turn  to  report  to  the  bishop  the  status, 
the  condition,  the  spirituality,  the 
weakness,  if  you  please,  of  that  family, 
in  order  that  the  bishop  might  know 
which  of  the  families  in  his  ward  would 
justify  the  greatest  effort  upon  his  part. 

This  is  a  glorious  organization  we 
have  in  the  Church.  I  know  from  past 
experience  that  no  matter  how  busy 
you  may  be  as  a  bishop  or  as  a  stake 
president,  that  it  is  possible  for  you  to 
accomplish  all  that  you  should  accom- 
plish, if  you  but  organize  so  to  do,  and 
with  the  help  and  the  tools  that  this 
co-ordinating  committee  is  now  going 
to  furnish  us,  I  am  sure  it  is  going  to 
be  made  clearer  to  us  just  how  an  or- 
ganization can  function  more  effectively. 


PRESIDENT  DAVID  O.  McKAY 


89 


Let  me  say  that  I  had  one  experi- 
ence— if  you  will  forgive  me  for 
mentioning  it,  personally — but  my  stake 
was  out  in  the  country.  President  Faust 
who  gave  the  opening  prayer  this 
evening  is  president  of  the  Cottonwood 
Stake  over  which  I  once  presided.  And 
my  work  was  in  the  city.  My  prede- 
cessor lived  in  the  county,  had  plenty 
of  time,  and  I  doubt  very  much  that  he 
ever  missed  a  funeral.  He  realized  that 
it  was  an  opportune  time,  when  there  is 
grief  in  the  family,  to  show  the  interest 
of  the  Church  in  that  hour  of  their 
bereavement,  so  he  was  very  diligent, 
and  I  said  to  myself,  "What  in  the 
world  can  I  do?  Here  I  am  in  court 
nearly  every  day." 

Well,  I  had  a  stake  clerk  who  lived 
there  in  the  center  of  the  city  of  Mur- 
ray; he  had  a  business;  he  knew  every- 
body in  the  stake  and  had  intimate 
contact  with  most  of  them  in  his  store, 
so  I  said  to  him,  "Will  you  please  keep 
track  of  every  funeral,  every  death  in 
the  stake?"  And  I  was  rather  fortunate, 
because  I  had  400  high  priests — it  was 
one  of  the  old  stakes.  I  think  there  are 
thirteen  or  fourteen  stakes  now  covering 
the  same  territory  as  the  one  did  in  the 
twenties. 

And  do  you  know  that  we  would  call 
upon  one  of  those  high  priests  to  attend 
every  funeral,  to  contact  the  family,  to 
tell  them  they  came  as  a  representative 
of  the  stake  presidency  and  the  high 
council  and  brought  their  greetings  and 
their  sympathy?    They  would  attend 


the  funeral  and  in  most  cases  speak, 
and  it  was  not  uncommon  for  families 
in  the  stake  to  tell  me  that  they  were 
so  happy  that  brother  so-and-so  had 
come  representing  us,  that  they  were 
sure  they  got  as  much  from  him  as  they 
would  have  if  the  stake  president  had 
come  himself. 

But  the  important  thing  was  that  the 
work  was  done,  and  there  was  not  a 
high  priest  who  received  that  kind  of 
call  but  what  felt  proud  that  his  stake 
president  would  remember  him  and 
would  call  upon  him  to  represent  him. 

That  is  true  of  ward  teaching.  Every 
ward  teacher  is  a  representative  of  the 
bishop.  Think  what  a  bishop  can  do 
if  he  puts  all  of  his  resources  to  work. 

You  know,  in  the  early  days  of  the 
welfare  program,  we  had  a  picture  of 
the  bishop  and  his  two  counselors  with 
their  arms  outstretched  trying  to  hold 
up  the  meetinghouse  or  move  it,  and  it 
presented  an  impossible  situation.  And 
the  next  film  showed  the  entire  priest- 
hood of  the  ward  under  that  meeting- 
house, and  they  walked  along  with  it 
and  bounced  it  as  they  went,  a  rela- 
tively easy  job. 

Well,  now,  brethren,  let  us  go  for- 
ward in  this  priesthood  work  in  the 
wards  and  in  the  stakes  and  see  if  we 
cannot  touch  every  one  of  the  lives 
that  come  under  our  presidency  and 
touch  them  for  good. 

That  the  Lord  will  help  us  so  to  do, 
I  pray  humbly,  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Amen. 


PRESIDENT  DAVID  O.  McKAY 


As  I  listened  to  the  very  able  presenta- 
tion of  the  scholarly  plan  to  correlate 
the  studies  of  the  priesthood  and  aux- 
iliaries of  the  entire  Church,  I  thought 
what  is  the  end  and  purpose  of  all  this? 
I  visualized  the  fact  that  30,000  or 
40,000  men  and  boys  in  priesthood  as- 
semblies this  night  constitute  an  organ- 
ization in  the  world  with  one  great 
purpose  in  mind,  and  that  is  to  fulfill 
or  respond  to  the  call  that  Jesus  gave 
Nicodemus:  ".  .  .  Except  a  man  be  born 
again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of 
God."  And  Nicodemus  wondered,  he 
could  not  comprehend  it.    And  Jesus 


answered,  ".  .  .  Except  a  man  be  born 
of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 
(John  3:3,  5.) 

In  that  first  sentence,  "Except  a  man 
be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  king- 
dom of  God,"  we  have  the  answer  to  the 
end  and  purpose  of  this  great  plan — to 
have  our  boys  and  our  girls  realize  that 
there  is  a  higher  purpose  in  life  than 
yielding  to  the  pleasures  and  tempta- 
tions of  the  flesh. 

In  our  conference  today  we  had  a 
great  sermon — two  sermons  in  fact — on 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  what  it  means. 


90 

Saturday,  September  30 

Associate  with  those  words  of  Jesus  to 
Nicodemus  the  words  of  Peter  after  he 
had  been  ordained  and  was  guiding 
men  of  his  associates  to  a  higher  life. 
He  wrote  on  one  occasion:  ".  .  .  that  we 
might  be  partakers  of  the  divine  na- 
ture." (2  Peter  1:4.)  He  realized  what 
it  means  to  be  in  touch  with  the  spirit- 
ual, to  rise  above  the  temporal,  the 
sensual  and  partake  of  the  divine  Spirit 
of  God. 

Fellow  men  of  the  priesthood,  that  is 
the  purpose  of  making  us  more  capable 
of  responding  to  the  Spirit  and  subduing 
the  sensual. 

I  am  glad  that  Elder  Lee  referred  to 
the  ordaining  of  members  of  the  First 
Council  of  the  Seventy  as  high  priests. 
There  seem  to  be  a  number  of  men  of 
the  priesthood  in  the  Church  who  are 
wondering  about  it,  because  they  know 
that  the  Prophet  said  that  what  was 
going  on  in  the  early  days  of  making 
high  priests  of  seventies,  was  not  in 
accordance  with  the  will  of  God. 

Do  you  know  what  they  were  doing? 
Before  a  man  was  ordained  a  member 
of  the  First  Council  of  the  Seventy  he 
was  ordained  a  high  priest.  This  prac- 
tice, the  Prophet  said,  was  not  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  will  of  the  Lord. 
It  should  be  sufficient  for  you  who  have 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  to  know  that  the 
work  today  is  required  of  those  mem- 
bers of  the  First  Council  of  the  Seventy 
which  needs  the  High  Priesthood.  They 
do  not  join  the  high  priests'  quorum, 
but  they  are  sent  out  by  the  Council  of 
the  Twelve  Apostles  to  set  in  order  the 
Church  in  the  stakes  and  missions, 
and  they  should  be  given  authority  to 
set  apart  a  president  of  a  stake,  a  high 
councilman,  a  bishop  of  a  ward,  which 
requires  the  High  Priesthood. 

The  Lord  has  never  said,  nor  has 
the  Prophet  Joseph,  that  that  is  against 
the  will  of  the  Lord.  These  men  are 
sent  out  now  to  take  care  of  300  and 
some  odd  stakes,  and  they  are  given  the 
authority  as  members  of  the  First  Coun- 
cil of  the  Seventy  to  attend  to  anything 
necessary  in  order  to  set  in  order  the 
affairs  of  the  stake  and  the  ward,  and 
that  is  in  accordance  with  the  will  of 
the  Lord. 

The  members  of  the  First  Council  of 
the  Seventy  are  now  given  the  authority 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Second  Day 

of  high  priests  to  set  in  order  all  things 
pertaining  to  the  stake  and  the  wards, 
under  the  direction  of  the  Twelve 
Apostles. 

There  come  to  my  mind  now  the 
following  words  of  the  writer,  John 
Dryden,  which  I  think  are  applicable 
to  the  spiritual  part  of  our  work,  getting 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  rising  above  the 
temporal,  selfish,  envious  things  which 
are  contrary  to  the  calling  of  any  high 
priest,  seventy,  elder,  priest,  teacher,  or 
deacon  in  the  Church: 

"Dim  as  the  borrowed  beams  of 
moon  and  stars  to  lonely,  weary, 
wandering  travelers,  is  reason  to  the 
soul."  Notice  that  comparison — "Dim 
as  the  borrowed  rays  of  moon  and  stars 
to  lonely,  weary,  wandering  travelers" 
(on  the  earth)  "is  reason  to  the  soul. 
And  as  on  high  those  rolling  fires  dis- 
cover but  the  sky,  not  guide  us  here, 
so  Reason's  glimmering  ray  was  lent, 
not  to  assure  our  doubtful  way,  but 
lead  us  upward  to  a  brighter  day." 

That  day  is  faith,  a  realization  of  the 
enjoyment  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  What 
the  sun  is  to  the  earth,  so  that  Holy 
Spirit  is  to  man,  and  the  40,000  assem- 
bled tonight — or  30,000,  whatever  the 
number  may  be — are  entitled — each  in- 
dividual is  entitled  to  that  glorious 
light  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

That  is  why  we  like  to  have  every 
young  man  and  every  young  woman 
utilize  his  or  her  time  intelligently, 
usefully,  to  bring  the  soul  in  harmony 
with  the  spirit,  that  we  all  might  be 
partakers  of  God's  Spirit,  partakers  of 
his  divine  nature.  That  is  the  privilege, 
fellow  workers,  of  all  who  hold  the 
priesthood  of  God. 

I  think  this  has  been  a  glorious  meet- 
ing— one  of  the  best,  if  not  the  best, 
ever  held  in  the  Church.  There  is  a 
glorious  future.  Our  minds  have  been 
led  to  visualize  the  opportunities  of  the 
priesthood,  and  to  be  true  to  the 
priesthood,  to  be  loyal  to  it,  that  we 
might  in  our  own  little  way,  give  to 
the  world  the  spiritual  message  of  the 
gospel  of  Christ.  People  are  denying 
his  divinity.  Nations  are  now  taught — 
young  boys  and  babes  of  forty  years  ago 
are  now  men  forty  years  of  age,  who, 
during  those  forty  years  have  been 
taught  that  God  does  not  exist;  that 


PRESIDENT  DAVID  O.  McKAY 


91 


Christ  was  not  an  eternal  being.  Poor 
deluded  men  and  women! 

Your  responsibility  and  mine,  of 
everyone  who  holds  the  priesthood  of 
God,  is  the  responsibility  of  letting  men 
see  that  light  which  is  to  the  spirit  what 
the  vital  sun  is  to  the  old  earth,  "not 
as  borrowed  beams  of  moon  and  stars," 
but  as  the  sunlight  of  the  Spirit. 

God  help  us  to  discharge  our  responsi- 
bilities acceptably  before  him,  I  pray 
in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

We  have  a  partial  report  of  the  at- 
tendance here  on  the  Grounds.  In  the 
Salt  Lake  Tabernacle:  7,641.  Assembly 
Hall  and  Barratt  Hall:  2,210.  A  total 
on  these  two  blocks  of  9,851.  Last 
October  there  were  9,911  on  these 
Grounds.  And  in  April,  1961,  10,778. 
The  total  tonight  is  about  the  same — 
9,851. 

There  is  one  more  matter,  brethren. 
I  think  that  one  of  the  greatest  mani- 
festations of  faith  and  devotion  that  we 
have  in  the  Church  is  the  willingness  of 
men  and  women  to  contribute  of  their 
time  and  their  means  to  the  erection  of 
needed  chapels — not  only  in  stakes,  but 
throughout  the  missions.  We  have  re- 
ports from  some  of  our  stake  presidencies 
and  bishops  of  wards  that  move  us  to 
tears  of  the  devotion  of  women,  men, 
and  children,  and  members  of  the 
Lesser  Priesthood  to  their  duties  in  erect- 
ing suitable  chapels  and  furnishing 
them,  as  perhaps  never  before  in  the 
history  of  the  Church- 
But  we  have  received  word  that  some 
bishops  are  rather  over-eager  in  asking 
these  members  of  the  Church  to  con- 
tribute beyond  their  means.  In  one 
case  recently  we  heard  of  a  bishop  who 
visited  a  family  and  told  them  that  their 
assessment  was  such  and  such  an 
amount.  They  did  not  have  it.  The 
man  had  lost  his  work,  and  unfortun- 
ately one  of  their  children  was  stricken 
with  polio.  And  this  unwise  bishop 
said,  "Well,  we  want  to  finish  our 
building  and  get  it  out  of  debt.  We 
recommend  that  you  borrow  the  sum 
from  the  bank  and  pay  your  assessment." 

I  wish,  and  I  am  speaking  for  my 
associates  in  the  Presidency  and  the 
Twelve,  that  such  a  thing  as  that  would 
never  happen  in  the  Church.  Con- 


tributions to  chapels,  to  ward  mainte- 
nance, or  free-will  offerings  are  left 
entirely  to  members  of  the  wards  to 
do  as  best  they  can,  and  no  officer 
should  require  any  member  to  go  to 
a  bank  to  borrow  his  so-called  assess- 
ment. 

I  have  one  or  two  matters  here,  but 
we  shall  not  occupy  more  time  tonight. 

Keep  the  faith  that  is  within  you. 
Make  your  baptism  into  this  Church 
real  by  burying  the  old  life,  with  all 
its  vanity,  indulgence,  jealousy,  hatred, 
and  rise  from  the  waters  of  baptism  in  a 
newness  of  life,  as  Christ  was  raised 
from  the  grave.  What  a  beautiful  com- 
parison! And  in  the  newness  of  life 
let  us,  as  men  of  the  Priesthood,  seek 
as  Peter  of  old,  to  be  a  partaker  of  his 
divine  spirit,  I  pray  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

The  Male  Chorus  of  the  Tabernacle 
Choir  will  now  sing,  "I  Need  Thee 
Every  Hour,"  conducted  by  Richard  P. 
Condie.  Elder  Howard  D.  Knight, 
president  of  the  Parowan  Stake,  will 
offer  the  benediction,  after  which  this 
Conference  will  be  adjourned  until  ten 
o'clock  tomorrow  morning. 

Brother  Condie,  and  brethren  of  the 
Choir,  we  thank  you  for  your  presence 
here  tonight,  and  your  inspiring  music. 
We  have  said  that  before,  but  you  are 
better  tonight  than  ever.  We  have 
enjoyed  you  and  thank  you  all. 

The  session  at  ten  o'clock  Sunday 
morning  will  be  broadcast  as  a  public 
service  over  television  and  radio  stations 
throughout  the  West.  The  Tabernacle 
Choir  Broadcast  will  be  from  8:30  to 
9:00  a.m.  Those  desiring  to  attend  the 
Choir  Broadcast  must  be  in  their  seats 
at  8:15  a.m. 

As  thousands  leave  this  great  Priest- 
hood Meeting  tonight,  let  us  keep  in 
mind  the  admonition  that  is  constantly 
being  given  us  to  drive  carefully.  Let 
us  have  courtesy  in  the  city  and  on  the 
highway. 

"I  Need  Thee  Every  Hour,"  and 
President  Howard  D.  Knight  of  the 
Parowan  Stake  will  offer  the  benediction. 

The  Male  Chorus  sang  the  hymn, 
"I  Need  Thee  Every  Hour." 

President  Howard  Dean  Knight  of  the 


92 

Sunday,  October  1 

Parowan  Stake 
prayer. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 

Third  Day 

Conference  adjourned  until  Sunday 
morning,  Oct.  1,  at  10:00. 


offered    the  closing 


THIRD  DAY 
MORNING  MEETING 


Sunday  morning,  October  1. 

Conference  reconvened  at  10:00 
o'clock  a.m.,  with  President  David  O. 
McKay  presiding  and  conducting  the 
services. 

(The  Tabernacle  Choir  and  Organ 
Broadcast  was  presented  in  the  Taber- 
nacle from  8:30  to  9:00  a.m.  See  pages 
126  to  127  for  a  full  report  of  this 
broadcast.) 

The  music  for  this  session  of  the 
Conference  was  furnished  by  the  Salt 
Lake  Tabernacle  Choir,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Richard  P.  Condie.  Alexander 
Schreiner  was  at  the  organ. 

President  David  O.  McKay  made  the 
following  introductory  remarks: 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

In  order  that  the  large  television  and 
radio  audiences  here  and  on  the  western 
coast  may  hear  the  speakers  and  music 
of  this,  the  sixth  session  of  the  One 
Hundred  Thirty-first  Semi-annual  Con- 
ference of  the  Church,  we  shall  postpone 
the  usual  announcements  until  later  in 
the  session. 

The  General  Priesthood  Conference 
was  held  last  evening  in  this  Taber- 
nacle, and  there  were  nearly  300  groups 
throughout  the  United  States  and 
Canada  and  other  parts  of  the  Church. 
We  received  only  a  partial  report  of 
the  total  attendance  at  these  large  as- 
semblies. Here  in  the  Tabernacle,  the 
Assembly  Hall  and  Barratt  Hall,  we 
had  a  total  attendance  of  9,851  mem- 
bers of  the  Priesthood.  Last  April, 
we  had  a  total  attendance  of  10,778  in 
these  places.  I  do  not  know  that  we 
can  get  you  a  total  report  during  the 
Conference  today.  It  would  cost  about 
a  thousand  dollars  to  receive  it  by  tele- 


phone, but  we  will  save  that  money, 
Scotsman-like. 

Elder  Harold  B.  Lee  and  Elder 
Richard  L.  Evans  were  the  speakers, 
presenting  a  correlation  plan  to  the  en- 
tire Priesthood  of  the  Church,  with 
which  all  the  presiding  officers  in  the 
Priesthood  and  in  the  auxiliary  organ- 
izations will  become  more  fully  ac- 
quainted. 

The  Tabernacle  Choir  under  the  di- 
rection of  Richard  P.  Condie,  with 
Alexander  Schreiner  at  the  organ,  will 
open  these  services  by  singing,  "Arise, 
Shine  For  Thy  Light  Is  Come."  After 
the  singing,  the  invocation  will  be  of- 
fered by  President  Wilbum  C.  West  of 
the  Emigration  Stake. 

Singing  by  the  Tabernacle  Choir, 
"Arise,  Shine  For  Thy  Light  Is  Come." 

Elder  Wilburn  C.  West,  president  of 
the  Emigration  Stake,  offered  the  open- 
ing prayer. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

President  Wilburn  C.  West  of  the 
Emigration  Stake  offered  the  invocation. 
The  Tabernacle  Choir  will  now  sing, 
"All  Hail  The  Power  of  Jesus'  Name," 
with  Richard  P.  Condie  conducting,  and 
with  Alexander  Schreiner  at  the  organ. 

The  Choir  sang  an  anthem,  "All 
Hail  The  Power  of  Jesus'  Name." 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

The  first  speaker  this  morning  will  be 
President  Hugh  B.  Brown  of  the  First 
Presidency  of  the  Church.  He  will  be 
followed  by  Bishop  Carl  W.  Buehner. 


93 


PRESIDENT  HUGH  B.  BROWN 

Counselor  in  the  First  Presidency 


I  am  sure  we  all  respond  from  the  depths 
of  our  being  to  that  glorious  rendition, 
"Crown  Him  Lord  of  All,"  rendered  as 
only  the  Tabernacle  Choir,  I  think, 
could  sing  it. 

My  brothers  and  sisters,  and  in  that 
salutation  I  should  like  to  include  all 
who  are  listening  regardless  of  their 
church  affiliation,  because  we  are  con- 
vinced that  we  are  brothers  and  sisters. 
We  believe  in  the  universal  brotherhood 
of  man  under  the  Fatherhood  of  God. 

As  this  is  the  first  conference  since 
my  change  of  status  in  the  Church,  I 
should  like  to  take  this  opportunity  to 
express  publicly  to  President  McKay 
and  his  associates  my  sincere  apprecia- 
tion for  the  confidence  which  prompted 
them  to  submit  my  name  for  your  ap- 
proval, and  I  wish  to  thank  you  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  for  your  confidence 
in  their  judgment.  I  pledge  only  that 
I  shall  do  my  level  best  to  make  that 
judgment  good  and  to  that  end  humbly 
invoke  divine  guidance  and  your  in- 
dulgence. I  shall  need  your  prayers 
of  faith. 

But  we  are  speaking  this  morning 
not  alone  to  Church  members.  We  are 
advised  that  perhaps  more  than  fifty 
percent  of  those  attending  in  person  or 
through  the  use  of  modern  media  are 
friends  of  the  Church  who  are  visiting 
us.  We  appreciate  your  interest — we 
extend  to  you  a  hearty  welcome.  Your 
attendance  seems  to  indicate  that  you 
have  heard  something  about  the  Mor- 
mons and  perhaps  would  like  to  know 
more.  We  should  like  to  respond  briefly 
to  your  implied  inquiry  about  the 
Church.  We  shall  avoid  dogmatism, 
for  that  ordinarily  brings  antagonism. 
We  simply  invite  you,  our  friends,  this 
morning  to,  as  Isaiah  said,  "Come,  and 
let  us  reason  together."  (Isaiah  1:18.) 

We  respect  all  men  in  their  religious 
beliefs,  but  the  divergent  beliefs  and 
multiplicity  of  creeds  have,  through  the 
centuries,  been  the  cause  of  much  con- 
fusion and  concern.  The  condition  of 
the  world  religiously  is  stated  in  the 
Catholic  Encyclopedia,  from  which  I 
quote  the  following: 


"A  Babel  of  religious  organizations  all 
proclaim  themselves  to  be  the  Church 
of  Christ.  Their  doctrines  are  con- 
tradictory and  precisely  in  so  far  as  one 
of  them  regards  the  doctrine  which  it 
teaches  as  vital,  it  declares  those  of  rival 
bodies  to  be  misleading  and  pernicious." 

Now,  while  we  do  not  agree  that  the 
beliefs  of  others  are  necessarily  per- 
nicious, we  do  think  it  regrettable  that 
the  original  Church  of  Jesus  Christ,  as 
outlined  in  the  New  Testament,  has 
been  broken  up  into  so  many  creeds. 
We  believe  the  Lord's  house  should  be 
a  house  of  order,  not  divided  against 
itself. 

The  question  is  often  asked,  what  are 
some  of  the  distinguishing  characteris- 
tics of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter-day  Saints?  What,  if  anything, 
has  this  Church  to  offer  which  is  new? 
Would  it  be  worthwhile  to  take  a  closer 
look  at  Mormonism? 

Though  there  are  many  fundamental 
differences  between  this  Church  and 
others,  we  must  today  be  content  to 
mention — and  that  only  briefly — just 
one  of  them.  We  refer  to  our  faith  in 
continued  revelation  from  God  to  men. 
It  seems  somewhat  paradoxical  that  this 
fundamental  doctrine  of  the  Church 
should  make  it  unique  or  distinguish  it 
from  others,  inasmuch  as  in  all  dispen- 
sations of  the  gospel  current  revelation 
has  been  the  sustaining  power,  the 
vivifying  spirit  of  the  divine  Church. 

In  a  concrete  statement  of  beliefs 
known  as  the  Articles  of  Faith,  we  de- 
clare our  faith  in  all  that  God  has  re- 
vealed, all  that  he  does  now  reveal,  and 
we  believe  that  he  will  yet  reveal  many 
great  and  important  things. 

History  proves  that  when  the  spirit 
or  gift  of  revelation  is  withdrawn  from 
the  Church  there  is  nothing  but  a  dead 
form  left  and  men  are  prone  to  worship 
God  with  their  lips  and  honor  him 
with  their  mouths,  but,  because  there 
is  no  communication  and  therefore  no 
understanding,  their  hearts  are  far  from 
him. 

The  things  of  God  can  only  be  under- 
stood by  the  Spirit  of  God  and  the 


94 

Sunday,  October  1 

Spirit  of  God  is  a  revealing  spirit.  The 
Master  promised  before  he  left  the  earth 
to  send  another  Comforter  which  would 
lead  men  into  all  truth.  Divine  revela- 
tion has  always  been  a  characteristic  of 
the  living  Church — it  is  absolutely  es- 
sential to  its  continued  existence  in  an 
organized  state  on  the  earth. 

You  remember  the  Prophet  Amos  said, 
"Surely  the  Lord  God  will  do  nothing, 
but  he  revealeth  his  secret  unto  his 
servants  the  prophets."  (Amos  3:7.) 

And  in  Proverbs  we  read,  "Where 
there  is  no  vision,  the  people  perish: .  . ." 
(Prov.  29:18.) 

We  have  ample  scriptural  authority 
for  our  declaration  that  a  man  must  be 
called  of  God  by  prophecy  and  by  the 
laying  on  of  hands  by  men  of  authority 
to  preach  the  gospel  and  administer  its 
ordinances.  The  Apostle  Paul  said, 
"And  no  man  taketh  this  honour  unto 
himself,  but  he  that  is  called  of  God, 
as  was  Aaron."  (Hebrew  5:4.)  And 
Aaron  was  called  by  direct  revelation 
through  Moses.  When  revelation  ceases, 
people  dwindle  in  unbelief,  and  not  only 
the  people  but  also  the  Church  aposta- 
tizes in  the  absence  of  inspired 
leadership. 

That  is  exactly  what  happened  in  the 
primitive  church,  and  that  situation  was 
a  harbinger  of  a  universal  apostasy,  of 
which  the  Church  of  England  speaks 
in  its  "Homily  against  Peril  of  Idolatry," 
as  follows:  "So  that  laity  and  clergy, 
learned  and  unlearned,  all  ages,  sects, 
and  degrees  of  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren of  whole  Christendom — an  hor- 
rible and  most  dreadful  thing  to  think — 
have  been  at  once  drowned  in  abomi- 
nable idolatry;  of  all  other  vices  most 
detested  of  God  and  most  damnable  to 
man;  and  that  by  the  space  of  eight 
hundred  years  and  more." 

Without  continued  revelation  there 
can  be  no  authorized  ministry  on  the 
earth,  and  without  authorized  officers 
there  can  be  no  Church  of  Christ.  If 
some  say  there  is  no  revelation  and  will 
not  be  further  revelation  from  God,  we 
ask,  "Why  not?  Has  God  lost  the  power 
to  reveal  his  mind  and  will  to  men?" 
Of  course,  to  so  state  is  tantamount  to 
blasphemy.  Do  we  not  need  revelation 
or  word  from  God?  I  ask  you  to  con- 
sider the  condition  of  the  world  and 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Third  Day 

note  the  dire  need  of  the  world  for  some 
divine  guidance  and  direction. 

Well,  then,  if  God  could  reveal,  and 
we  need  revelation,  is  the  fault  with 
man?  Have  we  lost  the  gift  or  the 
faith  or  the  understanding  that  will 
enable  us  to  receive  revelation?  Cer- 
tainly it  would  be  more  modest  of  us 
to  admit  the  fault  in  ourselves  than  to 
blame  God  for  not  speaking,  if  he  does 
not  speak.  Or  perhaps  there  may  be 
some  jamming  of  the  messages  by  the 
enemy,  as  a  result  of  which  some  have 
been  led  to  believe  that  there  is  no 
power  that  can  transmit.  We  ask,  in 
radio  or  television  language,  "Has  the 
broadcasting  station  gone  out  of  busi- 
ness or  broken  down,  or  are  there  no 
receiving  sets?" 

So  long  as  men  believe  there  can  be 
no  revelation,  they  will  make  no  at- 
tempt to  tune  in.  They  will  lose  their 
faith  and  will  no  longer  look  up  and 
listen.  Some  even  deny  there  is  need 
for  revelation,  but  the  daily  press  chal- 
lenges that  statement.  In  this  imperiled, 
divided,  and  chaotic  world  the  need 
for  God's  help  was  never  more  appar- 
ent and  urgent 

An  English  divine  recently  said.  "Oh, 
that  some  man  would  arise  who  could 
authoritatively  say  to  the  world,  'Thus 
saith  the  Lord!' " 

Is  it  possible,  our  friends,  that  religion 
is  the  one  department  of  human  inter- 
est, investigation,  and  research  where 
progress  is  impossible?  Would  any 
professor  say  to  his  class  in  chemistry, 
astronomy,  physics,  or  geology,  that  no 
further  discovery  or  revelation  of  scien- 
tific truth  is  possible?  Is  religion  the 
only  human  interest  which  is  static  and 
quiescent?  Did  Christ  leave  his  Church 
leaderless  and  intend  it  to  continue  so 
to  be? 

For  ourselves,  because  of  our  faith  in 
the  universal  and  unchangeable  love  and 
justice  of  God,  we  cannot  believe  that 
his  Church  in  one  dispensation  would 
be  blessed  and  led  by  what  in  television 
parlance  might  be  termed  "live"  revela- 
tion and  in  another  dispensation  leave  a 
distraught  and  imperiled  world  with  only 
the  recorded  messages  of  ancient  proph- 
ets, some  of  which  messages  were  for 
specific  purposes  and  under  special 
circumstances.   We  believe  that  revela- 


PRESIDENT  HUGH  B.  BROWN 


95 


tion  both  "live"  and  recorded  is  now  and 
will  continue  to  be  available  to  men. 
Whenever  the  Lord  has  recognized  his 
Church,  he  has  given  through  his 
prophets  messages  of  warning,  instruc- 
tion and  hope. 

When  we  say  that  we  believe  all  that 
God  has  revealed,  we  declare  our  faith 
in  the  scriptures.  We  believe  the  Bible 
to  be  a  repository  of  divine  truth  and 
that  it  is  authoritative,  though  not 
beyond  the  need  for  interpretation  and 
proper  translation  and,  therefore,  we 
say,  when  we  declare  our  faith  in  the 
Bible,  "as  far  as  it  is  translated  cor- 
rectly." When  we  declare  that  we  be- 
lieve that  God  does  now  reveal,  that  he 
still  speaks  through  his  prophets,  and 
that  his  word  is  scripture  whenever  and 
wherever  given,  when  we  make  this 
statement  we  are  simply  teaching  the 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  and  declaring  as 
true  the  Judeo-Christian  religion. 

We  sometimes  meet  with  skepticism 
when  we  say  that  he  still  reveals,  but 
let  us  paraphrase  the  words  of  Paul  for 
a  moment.  Why  should  it  be  thought 
a  thing  incredible  that  God  will  do 
what  he  has  promised  to  do?  If  time 
would  permit  we  could  take  you 
through  the  scriptures  from  Genesis  to 
Revelation  and  show  the  promises  of 
God  with  respect  to  the  latter  days. 
Why  should  it  be  thought  incredible  not 
only  that  he  would  keep  his  promise 
but  that  he  would  continue  to  do  what 
he  has  done  through  all  the  dispensa- 
tions of  the  gospel  from  the  beginning? 

The  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  was  estab- 
lished and  is  now  directed  by  revelation, 
and  that  fact  is  largely  responsible  for 
the  appeal  which  this  new  Church 
makes,  and  when  I  say  "new,"  I  wish  to 
emphasize  that  to  us  it  is  not  new  but  a 
restoration  of  that  which  was.  The  true 
Church  of  Christ  is  not  a  blind  alley, 
it  is  an  open  thoroughfare,  where  men 
many  confidently  pursue  truth  in  the 
light  of  revelation.  That  the  Church 
is  progressive  and  responsive  to  revealed 
truth  is  evidenced  by  our  further 
declaration  that  we  believe  that  God 
will  yet  reveal  many  great  and  im- 
portant things. 

This  Church,  our  friends,  is  not  com- 
mitted to  any  formal  or  inflexible  creed, 
but  its  members  are  taught  to  believe  in 


and  live  by  the  revelations  of  the  past 
and  present  and  thus  prepare  themselves 
for  the  revelations  yet  to  come.  Our 
concepts  and  even  our  faith  must  be 
held  subject  to  new  light.  The  present 
and  urgent  need  for  continued  revela- 
tion in  this  age  of  communism,  atheism, 
godlessness,  the  spirit  of  the  anti-Christ 
become  more  apparent  when  we  realize 
that  revelation  gives  us  our  most  con- 
clusive proof  that  there  is  a  Divine 
Being — and  how  the  world  needs  to 
know  of  him! 

In  an  age  when  hundreds  of  millions 
of  people  are  being  systematically  in- 
doctrinated with  the  abominable  doc- 
trines of  communism  which  are  that 
there  is  no  God,  religion  is  an  opiate, 
Christ  is  a  myth;  surely  in  the  midst  of 
such  determined,  persistent,  and  relent- 
less attacks  from  the  enemy,  we  may 
expect  from  God  our  Father  some  direc- 
tion, and  for  that  direction  we  constantly 
pray. 

But  our  message  is  this,  our  friends, 
God  has  spoken  from  the  heavens;  com- 
munication between  heaven  and  earth 
is  still  possible;  the  lines  are  open!  That 
is  the  challenging  message  of  Mormon- 
ism,  it  is  an  ensign  to  the  nations, 
a  message  of  hope  to  an  imperiled 
world.  If  we  are  to  exercise  saving 
faith  and  accompany  it  with  works  and, 
of  course,  "faith  without  works  is  dead," 
we  must  know  something  of  him,  of 
his  existence,  his  personality,  his  laws, 
his  purposes  with  respect  to  man,  and 
realize  that  we  are,  in  fact,  his  children, 
related  to  him.  He  said,  "And  this  is 
life  eternal,  that  they  might  know  thee 
the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ, 
whom  thou  hast  sent."  (John  17:3.) 

We  do  not  say  that  God  is  immaterial 
and  incomprehensible  and  without  a 
body.  Rather  we  say  he  is  approach- 
able as  our  Father.  Now,  revelation 
may  come  through  dreams  or  visions, 
the  visitation  of  angels,  or,  on  occasion 
such  as  with  Moses,  by  face-to-face  com- 
munication with  the  Lord.  You  remem- 
ber the  Lord  spoke  to  Adam,  not  only 
while  he  was  in  the  Garden  of  Eden, 
but  after  he  was  cast  out.  He  spoke 
to  other  patriarchs  and  prophets  through 
the  ages.  He  spoke  to  Enoch,  who  was 
called  "The  Seventh  from  Adam,"  and 
it  is  said  that  he.  was  translated  because 


96 

Sunday,  October  1 

he  was  especially  favored  with  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Lord.  The  record  reads, 
"And  Enoch  walked  with  God:  and  he 
was  not;  for  God  took  him."  (Genesis 
5:24.) 

The  Lord  by  revelation  warned  Noah 
of  the  coming  flood.  He  talked  with 
Abraham  and  told  him  to  leave  his 
country  and  go  into  a  new  land  and 
gave  him  some  promises  with  respect 
to  his  posterity.  By  revelation  he  com- 
missioned Moses  to  go  into  Egypt,  and 
under  God's  personal  direction  he  re- 
leased the  children  of  Israel  from  the 
bondage  of  the  Egyptians. 

So  we  may  trace  the  line  of  revelators, 
men  who  have  stood,  each  in  his  time, 
as  the  medium  through  whom  God 
speaks  to  his  people,  from  Moses  to 
Joshua,  through  the  Judges,  on  to  David 
and  Solomon  and  down  to  Zachariah 
and  Malachi.  Christ,  himself,  came  to 
this  world  to  reveal  God  to  men,  and  he 
himself  was  led  and  directed  by  revela- 
tion from  his  Father  while  he  dwelt 
on  this  earth. 

The  Lord,  as  you  know,  revealed  to 
Zacharias,  the  father  of  John  the  Baptist, 
what  was  to  happen,  and  you  remember 
what  happened  to  Zacharias  because 
of  his  lack  of  belief.  The  Lord  revealed 
to  Mary  that  she  was  blessed  among 
women,  that  she  should  bring  forth  a 
son  and  call  his  name  Jesus.  (Luke 
1:28,  31.)  Christ  himself  said:  "For 
I  have  not  spoken  of  myself;  but  the 
Father  which  sent  me,  he  gave  me 
a  commandment,  what  I  should  say, 
and  what  I  should  speak. 

"And  I  know  that  his  commandment 
is  life  everlasting:  whatsoever  I  speak 
therefore,  even  as  the  father  said  unto 
me,  so  I  speak."  (John  12:49-50.) 

The  apostles  in  the  Meridian  of  Time 
were  in  touch  with  the  heavens  by 
revelation.    Note  what  Paul  says: 

"But  God  hath  revealed  them  [divine 
truths]  unto  us  by  his  Spirit:  for  the 
Spirit  searcheth  all  things,  yea,  the  deep 
things  of  God. 

"For  what  man  knoweth  the  things 
of  a  man,  save  the  spirit  of  man  which 
is  in  him?  even  so  the  things  of  God 
knoweth  no  man,  but  the  Spirit  of 
God."  (1  Corinthians  2:10-11.) 

You  remember  John,  on  the  Isle  of 
Patmos,  wrote  the  book  of  Revelation, 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Third  Day 

and,  incidentally,  this  is  sometimes 
called  the  Apocalypse,  and  that  means 
in  Greek  "revelation."  This  is  what  he 
wrote  in  the  first  chapter  of  his  book — it 
was  not  written  of  his  own  wisdom: 

"The  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ, 
which  God  gave  unto  him  [speaking 
of  himself],  to  shew  unto  his  servants 
things  which  must  shortly  come  to  pass; 
and  he  sent  and  signified  it  by  his 
angel  unto  his  servant  John:"  (Revela- 
tion 1:1.) 

The  scriptures,  then,  are  not  only 
replete  with  evidence,  but  conclusive 
in  proving  that  God  does  and  always 
has,  whenever  there  has  been  a  dispen- 
sation of  the  gospel  upon  the  earth,  been 
in  touch  with  his  people. 

Remember  Paul  said  this,  and  he  is 
speaking  now  of  our  time: 

"That  in  the  dispensation  of  the  ful- 
ness of  times  he  might  gather  together 
in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both  which 
are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  the 
earth;  even  in  him:  .  .  ."  (Ephesians 
1:10.) 

From  the  scriptures  cited  and  many 
others,  it  seems  evident  that  revelation 
from  God  to  man  has  been  a  vital 
characteristic,  and  standard  procedure 
in  all  dispensations  of  the  gospel.  All 
the  prophets  and  leaders  of  ancient 
times  were  led,  directed,  chosen,  inspired 
by  God  himself  through  revelation. 

Eusebius  records  what  happened  after 
the  apostles  had  been  slain  and  when 
no  authoritative  answers  could  be  given. 
He  writes,  "When  the  sacred  choir  of 
apostles  became  extinct  and  the  genera- 
tion of  those  that  had  been  privileged 
to  hear  their  inspired  wisdom  had 
passed  away,  then  also  the  combinations 
of  impious  error  arose  by  the  fraud  and 
delusions  of  false  teachers.  These,  as 
there  were  none  of  the  apostles  left, 
henceforth  attempted  without  shame  to 
preach  their  doctrine  against  the  Gospel 
of  truth." 

And  Mosheim  reminds  us  that  both 
Jews  and  heathens  were  accustomed  to 
a  vast  variety  of  pompous  and  magnifi- 
cent ceremonies  in  their  religious  serv- 
ice. All  the  records  of  the  second 
century  mention  the  multiplication  of 
rites  and  ceremonies  in  the  Christian 
Church.  "But,"  you  ask,  "were  these 
the  times  that  have  been?"  Some  of  you 


PRESIDENT  HUGH  B.  BROWN 


97 


may  say,  "We  can  believe  in  revelation 
in  Adam's  day  and  in  the  days  of  Moses, 
in  the  days  of  Christ,  in  the  days  of  the 
apostles,  but  not  now." 

Is  there  any  indication  that  we  might, 
with  reason,  expect  some  word  from 
God?  Hear  John's  testimony  as  he 
spoke  of  things  that  were  to  come  in  the 
latter  days.  He  said: 

"And  I  saw  another  angel  fly  in  the 
midst  of  heaven,  having  the  everlasting 
gospel  to  preach  unto  them  that  dwell 
on  the  earth,  and  to  every  nation,  and 
kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people, 

"Saying  with  a  loud  voice,  Fear  God, 
and  give  glory  to  him:  for  the  hour  of 
his  judgment  is  come:  .  .  ."  (Revelation 
14:6-7.) 

That,  my  dear  friends,  is  a  prophetic 
promise  of  revelation  in  our  time.  The 
Church  today  is  founded  on  the  rock  of 
revelation  as  securely  as  it  was  in  the 
days  of  Peter  when  Christ  said  to  him, 
after  Peter  had  spoken  of  his  knowledge 
of  him, 

".  .  .  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my 
church;  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail  against  it."  (Matthew  16:18.) 

We  think  we  are  justified  in  antici- 
pating future  revelation,  and  we  believe 
that  it  will  be  surpassing  in  importance 
and  glorious  fulness  anything  that  has 
yet  been  revealed.  We  believe  that  he 
will  continue  to  reveal  himself  as  long 
as  man  continues  his  probation  here 
on  earth. 

Now,  you  friends  of  ours  probably 
ask,  "What  particular  revelation  is  the 
one  on  which  you  found  your  Church?" 
Time  will  not  permit,  of  course,  a  com- 
plete answer  to  that,  but  humbly,  and 
from  the  very  center  of  my  heart,  I  say 
to  you,  our  friends,  and  to  you  mem- 
bers of  the  Church,  God  has  restored 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  and  there  was 
a  great  revelation,  one  of  the  greatest  of 
all  time,  when  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
anticipating  our  very  day  and  the  events 
of  these  times,  appeared  to  a  man. 
They  were  personal  Beings;  they  were 
separate  and  distinct;  they  were  in  form 
like  man,  thus  proving  the  first  scrip- 


ture in  Genesis,  "So  God  created  man 
in  his  own  image,  .  .  ."  (Gen.  1:27.) 
They  spoke  to  him.  Other  revelations 
followed.  The  whole  message  of  Mor- 
monism  centers  around  the  life  and  mis- 
sion of  Jesus  the  Christ,  and  we  pro- 
claim to  the  world  in  contradiction  to 
the  hellish  doctrine  of  communism,  God 
does  live.  He  still  speaks  to  men. 
There  are  prophets  on  the  earth. 

If  that  statement  is  true,  it  is  the 
greatest  message  that  has  come  to  this 
earth  since  Christ  ascended  into  heaven 
because  it  is  a  message  of  his  coming, 
and  if  it  is  true,  all  of  you  should  know 
it.    That  it  is  true  we  humbly  testify. 

We  ask  you  to  listen,  to  read,  to  pray 
— ask  God  for  guidance — and  we  prom- 
ise you,  paraphrasing  the  Prophet 
Moroni,  that  if  you  will  ask  of  God  in 
faith  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ, 
whether  what  we  declare  is  true,  he  will 
reveal  the  truth  of  it  unto  you  by  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

We  believe  this  is  the  message  for 
which  the  world  has  been  waiting.  We 
declare  it  is  the  very  truth  of  God,  and 
for  my  own  self  I  bear  witness  to  that 
effect  and  say  to  you  in  humility,  but 
without  any  equivocation,  by  the  same 
power  and  authority  with  which  Peter 
spoke,  I  say,  with  him,  "Thou  art  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God." 
(Matt.  16:16.)  I  know  this  to  be  true, 
and  I  plead  with  men  everywhere  to 
hearken;  for  it  is  a  message  from  the 
heavens,  to  which  I  testify  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

President  Hugh  B.  Brown,  Counselor 
in  the  First  Presidency  of  the  Church, 
has  just  spoken  to  us.  We  hope  that 
all  the  television  sets  and  radios  that 
were  tuned  in  along  the  West  Coast, 
in  the  Northwest,  and  throughout  the 
nation,  heard  President  Brown's  address. 

Bishop  Carl  W.  Buehner  will  now 
speak  to  us.  He  will  be  followed  by 
Elder  Henry  D.  Taylor. 


Sunday,  October  1 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 

BISHOP  CARL  W.  BUEHNER 

Of  the  Presiding  Bishopric 


Third  Day 


President  Brown  began  his  address  by 
saying  this  is  the  first  conference  since 
the  change  of  his  status,  and  I  could 
well  begin  by  saying  this  is  the  last 
conference  since  the  change  of  my  status 
with  the  General  Authorities  of  the 
Church;  but  I  am  very  happy  and  very 
joyous  in  the  wonderful  and  marvelous 
experience  that  I  have  had,  and  I  have 
discovered  there  is  something  wonderful 
in  being  released.  I  have  had  hundreds 
of  people  come  to  me  and  embrace  me, 
tell  me  how  much  they  loved  me,  how 
much  they  appreciated  me,  and  how 
much  I  am  going  to  be  missed.  I  would 
never  have  known  about  this  if  I  had 
not  been  released. 

When  I  was  sustained  as  the  second 
counselor  in  the  Presiding  Bishopric,  I 
remember  saying  to  the  Church  that  I 
pledged  my  wholehearted  support  to 
Bishop  Wirthlin,  Bishop  Isaacson,  and 
to  the  leaders  of  the  Church;  and  I  think 
to  the  best  of  my  ability  and  at  least 
in  a  reasonable  measure,  I  have  accom- 
plished this.  I  have  enjoyed  my  work 
so  much.  Bishop  Wirthlin  is  a  great 
man,  a  man  of  integrity,  a  man  of 
honesty,  a  man  whose  word  was  good  all 
the  time,  and  it  is  to  Bishop  Wirthlin 
that  I  owe  the  great  honor  that  came  to 
me,  since  he  is  the  man  who  asked  that 
I  serve  with  him  as  a  counselor  in  the 
Presiding  Bishopric. 

I  have  enjoyed,  of  course,  with  him, 
the  labors  with  Bishop  Isaacson;  and 
we  have  had  a  great  time  together.  We 
have  been  in  many  council  meetings. 
We  have  been  on  our  knees  many 
times,  invoking  the  blessings  of  the 
Almighty  in  the  great  responsibilities 
that  are  those  of  members  of  the  Pre- 
siding Bishopric. 

We  love  the  boys  and  the  men  of  the 
Church  who  hold  the  Aaronic  Priest- 
hood and  the  great  army  of  men  who 
have  been  serving  as  ward  teachers — 
160,000  of  them  in  the  Church  now. 
There  are  many  things  that  bring  great 
rewards  through  service  in  this  great 
Church. 

When  my  brothers  heard  that  I  had 
been  asked  to  become  a  member  of  the 


Presiding  Bishopric,  they  said,  "We  are 
proud  of  you.  You  go  and  assume  those 
responsibilities,  and  we  will  run  the 
business.  We  will  keep  you  on  the 
payroll."  They  have  been  wonderful, 
and  I  appreciate  this. 

All  along  the  line,  people  have  been 
so  grand.  I  am  so  grateful  for  all  of 
the  marvelous  blessings  that  have  come 
to  me. 

I  should  now  like  to  make  a  few 
acknowledgments:  I  have  had  the  full 
support  of  a  loyal  and  loving  wife.  She 
has  been  a  Church  widow  if  there  has 
ever  been  one.  My  children  are  all 
married,  and  each  has  a  home  of  his 
own.  Therefore,  my  wife  has  been 
home  many,  many  days  alone.  I  feel 
she  will  welcome  this  release.  She  has 
already  thought  of  many  things  we  can 
now  do,  and  my  children  have  already 
called  and  said,  "Dad,  we  can  get  to- 
gether now  and  do  some  of  the  things 
we  have  not  been  able  to  do  in  the  past 
years."  So,  the  future  looks  wonderful, 
I  can  see  this.  I  appreciate  my  family. 
My  four  children  were  all  married  in 
the  temple.  Between  them  I  have  six- 
teen grandchildren.  They  and  their 
companions  have  never  embarrassed  me 
for  one  minute.  They  are  all  active  and 
devoted  to  the  Church.  One  cannot 
help  loving  children  and  grandchildren 
like  these.  So,  you  see,  the  Lord  has 
been  good  to  me  all  along  the  line. 

I  had  wonderful  parents.  They  have 
been  gone  for  twenty-seven  years.  They 
did  not  have  very  much  so  far  as  things 
of  this  world  are  concerned,  but  they 
had  great  faith  in  the  gospel  and  a 
strong  testimony.  Certainly,  we  should 
be  good  children,  having  had  parents 
like  these  and  having  been  trained  in  a 
home  where  such  great  faith  was  ex- 
hibited all  the  time. 

I  would  like  to  pay  a  tribute  to  those 
with  whom  we  have  labored  in  our 
office — wonderful,  dedicated  people.  We 
have  been  blessed  with  qualified  secre- 
taries. They  know  just  about  as  much 
of  our  work  as  we  know  ourselves.  In 
a  minute's  notice,  they  can  bring  letters 
out  of  a  file;  they  can  tell  you  what 


BISHOP  CARL 

your  appointments  are;  and  they  can 
remind  you  of  many  things.  They  are 
efficient  and  wonderful. 

Bishop  Isaacson  mentioned  members 
of  our  staff  in  his  talk.  I  should  like 
to  pay  tribute  to  Brother  Henry  G. 
Tempest  who  has  been  "my  man"  in  the 
ward  teaching  program.  He  has  gone 
out  many  nights  to  hold  conventions 
and  to  speak  at  ward  teachers'  meetings 
and  to  encourage  the  great  program. 
While  there  is  still  a  long  way  to  go, 
much  has  been  accomplished.  We  now 
get  into  the  homes  of  eighty-one  percent 
of  the  people  of  the  Church.  This  is  an 
increase  of  about  thirty-five  percent  over 
the  past  few  years.  I  am  thrilled  about 
this,  and  some  good  must  come  from  it. 
Brother  Thomas  and  Brother  Palmer 
who  have  Aaronic  Priesthood  assign- 
ments, those  under  twenty-one  and 
those  over  twenty-one,  have  performed 
their  duties  in  the  same  wonderful  way. 
Recently,  Brother  Ray  White  was  added 
to  our  staff.  He  is  a  qualified,  experi- 
enced man  who  has  come  to  do  our 
writing.  Brother  Keith  Carroll  has  been 
our  office  manager.  He  has  been  on 
the  job  all  the  time.  He  has  kept  our 
office  routine  moving  in  a  smooth  and 
efficient  manner.  We  learned  to  love 
people  of  this  caliber.  Brother  Harold 
Kirby,  Brother  Walter  Poelman,  and 
Brother  Phillip  Jensen  are  men  of  this 
same  caliber.  I  should  like  to  mention 
Sister  Ella  Jack  who  supervises  the  de- 
partment that  has  more  than  1,700,000 
membership  records  in  it.  This  depart- 
ment is  so  efficient  that  within  a  matter 
of  five  or  six  seconds,  the  workers  can 
bring  out  the  membership  card  of  any 
member  in  the  Church.  If  you  can 
spell  their  names,  and  if  they  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Church,  this  department  can 
produce  the  membership  records  for  you. 
It  is  this  type  of  efficiency  in  all  of  our 
departments  that  has  been  so  obvious. 

Another  department  that  should  be 
mentioned  is  the  comptometer  depart- 
ment which  was  formerly  headed  by  an 
outstanding  servant,  Fern  Dunn,  who 
passed  away  a  few  months  ago,  and  our 
medical  welfare  department  where  we 
handle  many  cases  of  people  in  distress 
and  difficulty.  Sister  Hilda  Harvey  and 
her  staff  are  qualified,  dedicated  women 


W.  BUEHNER  99 

who  take  care  of  those  who  come  to  this 
department 

I  am  going  to  miss  many  of  these  won- 
derful experiences  that  I  have  enjoyed. 
I  will  miss  sitting  in  our  weekly  report 
meeting  where  the  experience  of  our 
visits  at  stake  quarterly  conferences  are 
related.  I,  personally,  have  been  to 
more  than  350  quarterly  conferences 
during  the  time  I  have  been  in  the  Pre- 
siding Bishopric,  and  this  in  itself  has 
been  a  tremendous  experience. 

As  I  look  at  this  great  audience,  par- 
ticularly those  of  you  who  are  leaders 
of  the  Church,  I  realize  what  an  amazing 
group  of  men  you  are.  You  have  come 
from  all  over  the  Church,  actually,  from 
all  parts  of  the  world.  I  shook  hands 
with  leaders  from  Holland  the  other  day 
and  then  with  some  from  the  new  Berlin 
Stake,  as  well  as  leaders  from  Australia 
and  New  Zealand.  You  may  be  sitting 
next  to  each  other  at  this  very  moment. 
You  have  come  from  farms,  from  small 
communities,  from  large  cities,  from 
most  of  the  states  of  the  Union  and 
from  many  foreign  countries  to  be  in- 
spired and  lifted,  edified,  and  electrified. 
I  hope  you  catch  on  fire  so  that  this 
reat  work  will  move  forward  as  never 
efore. 

I  have  had  the  honor  of  sitting  in  the 
presence  of  President  McKay  and  his 
Counselors  at  least  twice  each  week, 
and  many  times,  oftener.  I  will  never 
be  in  any  more  wonderful  company  than 
while  in  the  presence  of  prophets  of 
God.  Add  to  this  those  who  comprise 
the  body  of  the  General  Authorities  of 
the  Church. 

Elder  Romney  mentioned  my  experi- 
ence with  him  in  the  welfare  program. 
Early  in  the  program,  I  learned  to  love 
President  Clark,  and  I  wish  he  were 
here  today  so  that  I  could  tell  him  of 
the  tremendous  influence  he  has  been 
in  my  life  and  for  the  great  contribution 
he  has  made  to  the  welfare  program.  I 
was  closely  associated  with  President 
Moyle  while  he  was  chairman  of  the 
program;  Elder  Harold  B.  Lee,  managing 
director,  Elder  Romney,  and  all  others 
associated  with  this  outstanding  pro- 
gram to  bless  people.  I  will  prize  this 
great  association  all  of  my  life. 

I  have  met  with  hospital  boards, 
while  dedicated  men  have  sat  and 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


100 

Sunday,  October  I 

pondered  and  worked  out  problems  per- 
taining to  our  hospitals.  These  men 
have  given  their  time  hour  after  hour 
in  the  solution  of  the  problems  that 
confront  these  institutions.  They  have 
been  a  great  aid  to  the  administrators. 

These  are  some  of  the  things  I  shall 
miss.  My  association  with  the  men  and 
boys  who  hold  the  Aaronic  Priesthood 
has  been  tremendous.  This,  I  shall  also 
never  forget.  I  am  even  going  to  miss 
my  new,  red  chair  down  here.  From 
now  on,  I  will  be  competing  with  you 
for  a  seat  on  one  of  the  benches  down 
below.  I  have  a  feeling  this  is  going 
to  be  enjoyable. 

Someone  said,  "Why  do  so  many 
meetings  start  at  8  pm  sharp  and  close 
at  11  pm  dull?"  This  may  be  because 
I  have  been  holding  some  of  these 
meetings.  I  hope  this  will  now  elimi- 
nate all  those  classified  as  dull. 

I  know  I  must  not  speak  much 
longer,  but  I  should  like  to  let  you 
know  that  I  wholeheartedly  sustain  the 
changes  that  have  been  made.  I  en- 
dorse the  new  brethren  whose  names 
have  been  mentioned.  I  have  loved  and 
appreciated  Elder  Hinckley  and  admire 
him  greatly.  I  fully  support  the  new 
members  of  the  Presiding  Bishopric.  I 
have  a  feeling  they  will  do  a  better  job 
than  we  have  done.  It  seems,  when 
changes  are  made,  new  individuals  al- 
ways lift  the  Church  to  greater  heights. 
If  I  can  do  anything  to  assist  them,  I 
offer  my  services. 

I  am  very  grateful  that  Bishop  Wirth- 
lin  has  received  a  new  assignment  in 
the  Church.  I  am  also  grateful  that 
Bishop  Isaacson  has  a  new  assignment. 
President  McKay  said,  "Brother  Buehner, 
this  will  give  you  time  to  run  your  new 
Beehive  State  Bank."  I  told  him  I 
would  take  some  of  my  time  to  do  this 
and  some  for  other  things  in  which  I 
have  an  interest. 

In  closing,  may  I  say  that  through 
the  privilege  I  have  had  of  travel- 
ing about  the  Church,  meeting  you 
wonderful  Stake  presidents,  I  express  ap- 
preciation for  the  fact  that  you  have  given 
me  the  best  room  in  your  home.  You  have 
killed  the  fatted  calf;  you  have  traveled 
over  busy  highways  to  call  for  me  at 
the  airport  or  at  a  railroad  depot;  you 
have  waited  on  us  and  extended  to  us 


Third  Day 

every  courtesy.  For  these  things,  I  ask 
the  Lord  to  bless  you,  and  I  express  my 
appreciation  for  you.  As  I  step  aside 
now,  I  will  remember  these  tremendous 
experiences.  You  are  a  great  blessing  to 
the  leadership  of  the  Church.  Many 
times  I  have  said  that  because  of  the 
dedicated  men  and  women  scattered 
throughout  the  Church,  this  Church 
can  never  fail.  I  trust  our  only  concern 
is,  "How  far  can  we  take  it?"  We  have 
an  excellent  start  and  yet  a  long  way 
to  go. 

The  one  other  thought  I  would  like 
to  leave  is  that  the  Lord  is  trying  to 
save  all  of  us.  I  hope  we  will  conform 
our  lives  to  his  teachings  so  that  he  can 
help  us  to  become  perfect  and  one  day 
bring  us  back  again  into  his  presence. 
We  would  not  be  happy  to  be  in  his 
presence  if  we  did  not  make  every  effort 
to  bring  with  us  those  we  have  learned 
to  know  and  love  and  appreciate  and 
even  many  yet  that  we  do  not  know. 
The  purpose  of  the  Lord  is  to  bring  us 
all  back  into  his  presence.  He  has  given 
us  the  plan  whereby  this  can  be  done. 

I  have  a  great  testimony  of  the  gospel. 
I  love  the  Church.  Again,  I  say,  I  ap- 
preciate every  honor  and  every  courtesy 
that  has  come  to  me.  I  would  like  to 
say  again  to  President  McKay  and  his 
Counselors  and  to  all  of  the  General 
Authorities  that  I  am  a  better  man  as  I 
leave  this  assignment  because  of  them 
than  I  have  ever  been  before. 

Tomorrow  will  be  moving  day  for 
me.  I  must  say  good-bye  to  most  of 
you  now.  Some  of  you  I  hope  to  see 
often.  I  thank  the  Lord  for  every  choice 
blessing  I  have  had. 

I  have  had  to  speak  this  way  or  I 
would  have  choked  up  and  could  not 
have  said  a  word.  God  bless  everyone 
of  you  as  you  continue  your  great 
labors  in  the  work,  and  may  our  Father 
in  heaven  continue  to  bless  these  won- 
derful General  Authorities. 

Many  great  men  in  the  past  have  been 
released  by  death.  I  am  released  while 
I  am  still  alive,  and  there  is  some  ad- 
vantage to  this.  God  bless  you  every 
one  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

You  have  just  heard  a  retirement 


ELDER  HENRY  D.  TAYLOR 


101 


speech  from  Bishop  Carl  W.  Buehner. 
I  believe  it  was  Brother  Critchlow  who 
was  released  as  president  of  the  stake, 
who  was  called  as  one  of  the  Assistants 
to  the  Twelve,  who  said,  "When  I  was 
released  as  president  of  the  stake,  I 
looked  upon  it  as  a  retirement.  Now  I 
find  it  is  a  retreading." 

I  would  like  to  say  to  Bishop  Buehner 


and  Sister  Buehner  and  those  children 
who  have  looked  forward  to  a  time 
when  Brother  Buehner  can  sit  with 
them  in  the  evening  chair  and  spend 
a  happy  retirement  experience,  "That 
the  best  laid  schemes  of  mice  and  men 
gae  aft  agley." 

We  shall  now  hear  from  Elder  Henry 
D.  Taylor,  Assistant  to  the  Twelve. 


ELDER  HENRY  D.  TAYLOR 

Assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


We  sing  a  beautiful  hymn  that  is  a 
favorite  of  mine.  It  refers  to  our  exist- 
ence prior  to  coming  to  this  earth. 
Sister  Eliza  R.  Snow,  the  author,  poses 
some  very  meaningful  questions,  and  in 
addressing  our  Father  in  heaven  asks: 
"When  shall  I  regain  thy  presence, 
And  again  behold  thy  face?" 
She  concludes  the  hymn  with  this 
prayer: 

"When  I  leave  this  frail  existence; 
When  I  lay  this  mortal  by, 
Father,  Mother,  may  I  meet  you 
In  your  royal  courts  on  high? 
Then  at  length,  when  I've  completed 
All  you  sent  me  forth  to  do; 
With  your  mutual  approbation, 
Let  me  come  and  dwell  with  you." 

("O  My  Father") 

Our  Heavenly  Father  loves  us,  his 
children,  and  desires  that  each  will 
return  again  to  his  presence,  for  he  has 
declared: 

". .  .  behold,  this  is  my  work  and  my 
glory — to  bring  to  pass  the  immortality 
and  eternal  life  of  man."  (Moses  1:39.) 

In  order  to  attain  this  goal  of  immor- 
tality, it  was  decreed  that  individuals 
privileged  to  come  to  this  earth  must 
pass  through  the  experience  of  death. 
But  God  in  his  wisdom  allowed  his 
Only  Begotten  Son  in  the  flesh,  Jesus 
Christ,  to  suffer,  bleed,  and  die  on  the 
cross  to  break  the  bands  of  death. 
Through  his  atoning  sacrifice,  Christ 
became  our  Savior  and  Redeemer.  It 
is  through  him  that  we  will  return  to  the 
Father,  for  he  has  said: 

".  .  .  no  man  shall  come  unto  the 
Father  but  by  me  "  (D&C  132:12.) 

We  have  the  promise  and  assurance 


that  after  death,  our  earthly,  mortal 
body  will  be  resurrected  and  become  the 
glorified  tabernacle  of  our  eternal  spirit. 

Our  Father  in  heaven  is  all-wise  and 
infinite.  He  is  also  a  God  of  law  and 
order.  He  has  given  to  man  a  plan — the 
gospel  plan,  which  furnishes  instruc- 
tions for  us  to  follow  in  order  to  return 
to  his  presence.  These  instructions  are 
known  as  commandments  and  are  given 
to  us  through  his  servants,  the  prophets. 

Every  commandment  is  important  and 
has  been  provided  for  a  specific  purpose. 
It  is  not  logical  to  suppose  that  man  may 
choose  the  commandments  he  wishes 
to  observe  and  ignore  the  others.  Note 
how  emphatically  the  Lord  has  expressed 
himself  on  this  matter: 

"If  thou  lovest  me  thou  shalt  serve  me 
and  keep  all  my  commandments."  (Ibid., 
42:29.  Italics  added.) 

We  might  well  consider  that  keeping 
the  commandments  is  a  "one  package 
deal." 

In  contemplating  the  gospel  plan, 
however,  there  is  a  possibility  that  we 
may  be  attracted  to  certain  doctrines  to 
the  exclusion  of  others. 

Many  years  ago  I  read  some  verses 
that  made  a  lasting  impression  upon  me. 
They  are  called,  'The  Blind  Men  and 
the  Elephant": 

"It  was  six  men  of  Indostan, 
To  learning  much  inclined, 
Who  went  to  see  the  Elephant 
(Though  all  of  them  were  blind,) 
That    each   by   observation  might 

satisfy  his  mind." 
The  first  happening  to  fall  against  the 
broad  and  sturdy  side  exclaimed:  "the 
elephant  is  very  like  a  wall!" 
The  second  reeling  of  the  roundness, 


102  GENERAL  C 

Sunday,  October  1 

smoothness,  and  sharpness  of  the  tusk 
cried:  "This  wonder  of  an  elephant  is 
very  like  a  spear  I" 

The  third  happened  to  grasp  the 
squirming  trunk  in  his  hand.  "I 
see,"  quoth  he,  "the  elephant  is  very 
like  a  snake!" 

The  fourth  reached  out  his  hand,  and 
felt  about  the  knee,  "What  this  won- 
drous beast  is  like,"  he  said;  "Is  very 
like  a  tree!" 

The  fifth  who  chanced  to  touch  an 
ear,  stated:  "This  marvel  of  an  ele- 
phant is  very  like  a  fan!" 

The  sixth  in  groping  about,  seized 
the  swinging  tail.  "I  see,"  quoth  he, 
"The  elephant  is  very  like  a  rope!" 

"And  so  these  men  of  Indostan, 

Disputed  loud  and  long, 

Each  in  his  own  opinion, 

Exceeding  stiff  and  strong, 

Though  each  was  partly  in  the  right, 

And  all  were  in  the  wrong." 

(John  Godfrey  Saxe.) 

And  thus  it  is  with  us  and  the  gospel. 
We  catch  a  glimpse  here  and  another 
there.  Like  the  blind  men  of  Indostan, 
we  form  our  own  impressions  of  the 
gospel.  Yet  it  has  been  restored  in  its 
fulness,  and  through  study  and  prayer 
we  can  obtain  a  knowledge  and  appre- 
ciation of  its  beauty  and  completeness. 

Now  to  return  for  a  brief  considera- 
tion of  the  Lord's  commandments, 
keeping  in  mind  his  promise  when  he 
said: 

"I,  the  Lord,  am  bound  when  ye  do 
what  I  say;  but  when  ye  do  not  what  I 
say,  ye  have  no  promise."  (D&C  82:10.) 

From  the  very  beginning,  God  has 
provided  his  children  with  instructions 
or  commandments.  To  Adam  he  gave 
the  law  of  sacrifice.  On  Mt.  Sinai, 
Moses  received  the  Ten  Commandments 
for  the  children  of  Israel.  Some  of 
these  tell  us  what  to  do;  others  what 
not  to  do.  Today,  we  still  subscribe  to 
those  teachings  as  being  basic  and  bind- 
ing upon  us. 

From  time  to  time  through  the  years 
other  important  instructions  have  been 
given. 

Frequently  we  hear  the  admonition: 
"Keep  the  commandments  and  you  will 
be  blessed,"  but  there  is  more  to  it  than 
that.  Specifically,  what  are  these  com- 


Third  Day 

mandments,  the  observance  of  which 
will  bring  us  promised  blessings?  While 
the  list  would  be  impressively  lengthy, 
a  few  essential  ones  we  mention: 

First:  Love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  heart,  might,  mind,  and  strength. 
Love  is  one  of  the  great  attributes  of 
God  and  is  the  very  essence  of  the  gos- 
pel of  Jesus  Christ.  Love  is  a  virtue 
that  every  person  should  earnestly  strive 
to  develop. 

Second:  Next  to  loving  God,  we 
should  love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves 
This  anticipates  that  we  will  be  honest 
in  our  dealings  with  our  fellow  man 
and  not  take  unfair  advantage  but  help 
him  in  every  way  possible. 

Third:  In  order  to  keep  ourselves 
unspotted  from  the  world,  we  should 
go  to  the  house  of  prayer  on  the  Sabbath 
day,  partake  of  the  Sacrament,  renew 
our  covenants  with  the  Lord,  and  re- 
member our  promise  always  to  keep 
his  commandments. 

Fourth:  Prayerfully  choose  a  suitable 
mate,  go  to  the  temple,  the  house  of  the 
Lord,  to  be  married  and  sealed,  not  only 
for  time,  but  also  for  all  eternity. 

Fifth:  Establish  a  home,  multiply 
and  replenish  the  earth,  rear  a  righteous 
family,  set  a  proper  example  for  a  worthy 
posterity  and  the  whole  world. 

Sixth:  All  members  of  the  Church 
should  live  righteously.  By  so  doing 
every  male  member  will  make  himself 
worthy  to  receive  the  priesthood  and 
should  then  magnify  it  by  gratefully 
accepting  responsibilities  that  come, 
which  callings  he  neither  covets  nor 
refects,  and  in  all  his  responsibilities  he 
should  be  supported  by  his  wife  and 
family,  standing  loyally  by  his  side. 

Seventh:  Search  out  the  names  of 
departed  kinsman.  As  a  proxy  perform 
ordinances  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  for 
their  salvation  and  exaltation. 

Eighth:  Recognize  that  "the  earth  is 
the  Lord's,  and  the  fulness  thereof;  .  .  ." 
(Psalm  24:1.)  Pay  tithes  and  offerings 
as  a  token  of  appreciation  for  the  good 
things  of  the  earth  and  for  all  other 
blessings  we  receive. 

Ninth:  Share  the  gospel  and  teach 
all  who  will  hearken  to  its  message.  In 
this  way  every  member  will  become  a 
missionary. 

Tenth:  Provide  for  our  own  economic 


ELDER  NATHAN  ELDON  TANNER 


103 


independence.  Remember  the  poor  and 
needy  and  show  concern  for  their  wel- 
fare. 

Eleventh:  Keep  the  body  a  sacred 
temple  for  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  by 
being  clean,  chaste,  and  virtuous,  real- 
izing that  his  spirit  will  not  dwell  in  an 
unclean  tabernacle.  Also  keep  the  body 
strong  by  observing  the  Lord's  law  of 
health,  known  as  the  Word  of  Wisdom. 

To  this  list,  brothers  and  sisters,  you 
will  want  to  add  others. 

As  mortals  we  are  weak.  We  have 
many  frailties  and  imperfections,  and 
it  may  be  difficult  at  first  to  obey  all 
the  commandments.  But  we  should  never 
cease  striving.  Progress  is  doing  better 
today  than  we  did  yesterday.  Each  of 
us  should  have  as  an  objective  the  Sav- 
ior's admonition: 

"Be  ye  therefore  perfect,  even  as  your 
Father  which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect." 
(Matthew  5:48.) 

As  we  become  more  perfect,  we  gain 
strength  and  willpower  and  thus  it  is 
easier  to  keep  all  of  God's  command- 
ments. When  this  is  accomplished,  we 
are  well  on  our  way  to  happiness  and 
eternal  life. 

Happiness,  peace,  and  contentment 
can  be  ours.  The  Prophet  Joseph  Smith 
taught: 

"Happiness  is  the  object  and  design  of 
our  existence,  and  will  be  the  end  there- 
of, if  we  pursue  the  path  that  leads  to 
it;  and  this  path  is  virtue,  uprightness, 
faithfulness,  holiness,  and  keeping  all 
the  commandments  of  God."  (History 
of  the  Church,  Vol.  V,  pp.  134-135; 
italics  added.) 

The  Prophet  Alma  also  contributed 
this  important  truth: 


". . .  wickedness  never  was  happiness." 
(Alma  41:10.) 

If  we  keep  all  of  God's  command- 
ments, we  will  enjoy  a  feeling  of  calm- 
ness, serenity,  and  strength.  This  will 
serve  as  a  bulwark  to  protect  us  against 
the  winds  and  storms  created  by  the 
tensions  and  uncertainties  of  present 
chaotic  world  conditions.  We  need  not 
wait  until  we  get  to  heaven  to  obtain 
peace  and  happiness.  We  can  have 
heaven  on  earth,  here  and  now. 

May  we  all  hearken  to  and  observe 
the  admonition  of  the  ancient  prophet 
who  exclaimed: 

"Let  us  hear  the  conclusion  of  the 
whole  matter:  Fear  God,  and  keep  his 
commandments:  for  this  is  the  whole 
duty  of  man."    (Ecclesiastes  12:13.) 

For  which  I  humbly  pray  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ  our  Savior.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

He  to  whom  we  have  just  listened  is 
Elder  Henry  D.  Taylor,  Assistant  to  the 
Twelve.  The  Choir  and  congregation 
will  now  sing,  "How  Firm  A  Foun- 
dation." Elder  Tanner  will  speak  after 
the  song. 


The  Tabernacle  Choir  and  the  con- 
gregation joined  in  singing  the  hymn, 
"How  Firm  A  Foundation." 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  Nathan  Eldon  Tanner,  As- 
sistant to  the  Twelve  and  president  of 
the  West  European  Mission,  will  now 
address  us.  He  will  be  followed  by 
Elder  Howard  W.  Hunter  of  the  Coun- 
cil of  the  Twelve. 


ELDER  NATHAN  ELDON  TANNER 

Assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


President  McKay,  President  Moyle,  Pres- 
ident Brown,  President  Smith,  and  my 
brethren  and  sisters,  I  thank  my  Heaven- 
ly Father  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart 
for  my  membership  in  his  Church  and 
kingdom  here  upon  the  earth,  for  the 
priesthood  which  I  hold,  and  for  the 
honor  and  call  that  has  come  to  me, 
which  makes  it  possible  for  me  to  spend 


my  time  in  the  service  of  the  Lord,  and 
to  associate  with  our  beloved  President, 
a  prophet  of  God,  David  O.  McKay, 
and  these  other  inspired  leaders  who 
have  been  chosen  by  him  to  direct  the 
activities  of  the  Church  and  to  lead  us 
in  the  paths  of  truth  and  righteousness. 

I  am  truly  grateful  for  the  opportunity 
I  have  of  attending  this  outstanding 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


104 

Sunday,  October  1 

conference  with  you,  and  partaking  of 
the  spirit  that  is  here,  and  to  be  in- 
structed and  encouraged  by  the  wonder- 
ful messages  that  we  have  heard.  As  I 
stand  before  you,  I  feel  more  keenly 
than  I  have  words  to  express  my 
inadequacy  and  humility  and  a  need  of, 
and  I  humbly  pray  for,  an  interest  in 
your  faith  and  prayers  as  I  speak  to 
you  today. 

As  approximately  one  seventh  of  all 
the  full-time  missionaries  in  the  world 
are  laboring  in  the  West  European 
Mission,  over  which  I  have  the  honor 
to  preside,  and  which  includes  the  mis- 
sions of  the  British  Isles,  France,  and 
the  Netherlands,  and  because  we  have 
in  these  missions  young  men  and  young 
women  representing  families,  wards,  and 
stakes  from  all  parts  of  Canada  and  the 
United  States,  I  feel  that  I  should  make 
a  brief  report  of  their  activities,  the  work 
that  is  being  done,  and  the  progress  that 
is  being  made  in  those  areas. 

First,  I  should  like  to  congratulate 
those  devoted  stake  and  ward  officers 
and  the  people  in  the  five  stakes  in 
England  and  Holland  on  the  fine  work 
that  they  are  doing  and  the  progress  that 
is  being  made.  I  wish  to  acknowledge 
the  presence  of,  and  welcome  here  today, 
representatives  of  the  stake  presidencies, 
of  the  bishoprics,  and  stake  Relief  Soci- 
ety presidents,  who  are  here  from  those 
stakes,  also  President  and  Sister  Boyer 
of  the  London  Temple.  I  am  sure  that 
they,  as  the  rest  of  us,  will  enjoy  the 
spirit  of  this  great  conference  and  return 
to  their  wards  and  stakes  with  a  keener 
desire  and  determination  and  ability 
to  carry  on  with  the  heavy  responsibili- 
ties placed  upon  them. 

Also,  I  wish  to  express  my  deep 
appreciation  to  those  unselfish,  dedicated 
mission  presidents  and  their  wives  who 
are  devoting  every  minute  of  their  time 
and  energy  in  directing  the  missionary 
work  in  their  several  missions.  To  see 
the  love  and  devotion  which  they  have 
for  your  sons  and  daughters  who  are 
placed  under  their  care  and  direction  is 
most  encouraging  indeed.  They  could 
not  show  a  keener  interest  in  their  own 
children.  The  help  and  leadership  which 
they  give  them  will  influence  their  lives 
for  years  and  years  to  come. 

Brother  Roy  M.  Darley,  with  his 


Third  Day 

organ  recitals  in  the  Hyde  Park  Chapel 
in  London,  is  making  a  great  contribu- 
tion to  missionary  work. 

Now,  regarding  that  wonderful  corps 
of  missionaries  who  are  serving  in  these 
different  missions,  I  am  happy  indeed 
to  be  able  to  report  that  they  are  really 
doing  a  marvelous  work  and  a  wonder 
in  the  mission  field.  It  is  most  encour- 
aging and  inspiring  to  go  from  one 
mission  to  another  and  hear  those  de- 
voted missionaries  bear  their  testimonies 
to  one  another  and  give  their  reports 
and  experiences  which  they  have  had  in 
teaching  the  gospel  to  the  world.  They 
are  certainly  to  be  congratulated  on 
their  enthusiasm,  dedication,  and  their 
success  as  they  go  forward  in  their 
proselyting  efforts. 

To  see  how  humble  they  are,  and  yet 
how  fearless  and  determined,  reminds 
one  of  Paul  as  he  stood  in  chains  before 
King  Agrippa.  Defending  himself,  he 
replied  to  the  accusations  of  Festus, 
"I  am  not  mad,  most  noble  Festus,  but 
speak  forth  the  words  of  truth  and  sober- 
ness" (Acts  26:25),  always  with  the  hope 
that  those  who  hear  might  accept  their 
message.  The  results  of  their  efforts  are 
evident  throughout  the  mission. 

In  April  I  reported  that  in  the  previous 
eighteen  months  the  LDS  membership 
in  the  British  Isles  had  increased  from 
approximately  10,000  to  20,000,  or  nearly 
double.  Today,  I  am  happy  to  report 
that  in  these  islands  we  had  1,197  bap- 
tisms in  July;  1,274  in  August;  and  in 
September,  at  the  present  rate,  we  will 
have  over  1,400.  This  means  that  we 
are  baptizing  in  the  British  Isles  alone 
enough  people  for  four  or  five  stakes 
each  year. 

But  more  significant  than  this  is  the 
fact  that  the  church  population  there  is 
being  increased  at  the  rate  of  over  5 
percent  each  month,  or  over  60  percent 
each  year  throughout  the  whole  of  the 
British  Isles,  while  in  some  local  areas 
the  increase  is  as  high  as  200  to  300 
percent  in  one  year. 

In  France  and  the  Netherlands  the 
number  of  baptisms  are  also  greatly 
increased.  It  is  not  difficult  to  see  that 
a  tremendous  fellowshipping  program  is 
necessary,  and  I  am  happy  to  report  that 
in  these  wards  and  branches,  though 
many  of  them  are  new  members  and 


ELDER  NATHAN 

though  the  building  facilities  are  most 
inadequate,  the  people  are  accepting  the 
responsibility  of  trying  to  make  the  new 
converts  feel  at  home  and  a  part  of  the 
church  organization. 

The  building  program  necessary  to 
provide  the  facilities  for  this  great  influx 
of  members  presents  a  real  problem. 
I  personally  wish  to  congratulate  the 
building  committee  and  those  fine  men 
who  are  directing  the  work  on  the 
ground,  on  the  very  efficient  way  in 
which  they  have  organized  their  work 
and  their  staffs  to  go  forward  with  the 
program  of  starting  a  new  building 
every  week. 

I  also  wish  to  congratulate  the  mem- 
bers in  the  stakes  and  missions  on  the 
very  wonderful  way  in  which  they  have 
responded  to  this  building  program  and 
in  making  labor  missionaries  available 
to  assist  wherever  new  buildings  are 
being  constructed. 

President  McKay,  I  am  happy  to  tell 
you  that  the  people  there  are  responding 
beautifully  to  your  call  and  slogan, 
"Every  Member  A  Missionary,"  first,  by 
striving  to  live  lives  worthy  of  example, 
and  second,  by  opening  their  homes  for 
group  teaching  and  inviting  their  friends 
and  neighbors  and  associates  in  to  hear 
the  gospel. 

I  should  like  to  tell  you  of  some  of  the 
experiences  and  observations  that  Sister 
Tanner  and  I  had  in  September  as  we 
met  with  the  Saints  in  the  stake  and 
district  conferences  in  the  capitals  and 
some  of  the  larger  cities  in  England, 
France,  Germany,  the  Netherlands,  and 
Belgium  which  I  feel  are  significant  and 
which  helped  to  strengthen  our  testi- 
monies and  helped  us  to  appreciate 
probably  more  than  ever  before  our  free 
agency  and  our  membership  in  this 
great  Church. 

First,  we  found  that  wherever  we  went, 
regardless  of  country  or  city  or  language, 
there  was  the  same  sweet  spirit  of  devo- 
tion and  willingness  to  accept  office 
and  give  service  in  the  Church.  As  we 
interviewed  the  men  in  these  cities  for 
office,  we  told  them  they  would  be  re- 
quired to  live  up  to  the  standards  of  the 
Church,  that  it  would  require  much  of 
their  time,  and  that  the  responsibilities 
were  heavy  and  would  require  sacrifice 
on  their  part 


ELDON  TANNER  105 

All  of  them,  though  they  knew  that 
there  was  no  remuneration  but  a  great 
deal  of  hard  work,  had  only  one  re- 
sponse: "I  am  willing  to  do  my  best, 
but  am  I  worthy?"  Where  in  all  the 
world,  outside  of  this  Church,  can  you 
find  this  kind  of  dedication?  It  is 
evident  that  the  members  of  the  Church 
are  being  prepared  to  accept  and  follow 
the  admonition  of  James  wherein  he 
said,  "...  be  ye  doers  of  the  word,  and 
not  hearers  only,  deceiving  your  own 
selves."   (James  1:22.) 

Secondly,  we  observed  that  the  mem- 
bers, when  speaking  to  one  another 
and  when  addressing  the  people  in  meet- 
ings, referred  to  them,  as  they  do  all 
over  the  Church,  as  brothers  and  sisters. 
This  too  was  very  significant.  What 
a  grand  and  glorious  feeling  it  is  to 
know  that  you  are  really  brothers  and 
sisters,  spirit  children  of  God,  who  are 
interested  in  one  another  and  enjoy  the 
fine  feeling  of  love  and  brotherhood  and 
oneness  in  the  Church  wherever  you 
are,  regardless  of  whether  you  have 
known  one  another  before  or  not.  As 
the  Lord  has  said,  "I  say  unto  you,  be 
one;  and  if  ye  are  not  one  ye  are  not 
mine."  (D&C  38:27.) 

The  third  observation  we  made,  and 
which  is  also  significant  and  important 
to  the  members  of  the  Church,  is  that 
all  speakers  concluded  their  reports  and 
talks  by  bearing  their  testimonies,  all  of 
which  were  essentially  the  same.  As 
Sister  Tanner  and  I  are  unable  to  under- 
stand or  speak  the  language  of  any  of 
the  countries  on  the  European  Conti- 
nent, we  have  to  arrange  for  someone 
not  only  to  translate  what  we  say  to 
the  congregation,  but  also  to  sit  behind 
us  and  give  us  a  running  commentary 
of  what  is  being  said  by  the  local 
people. 

While  in  Brussels  we  had  an  interest- 
ing experience  when  the  district  and 
branch  presidents  were  giving  their  re- 
ports. After  two  or  three  had  spoken, 
and  another  was  concluding,  the  man 
who  was  sitting  there  translating  for  us 
said,  "He  is  now  bearing  his  testimony." 
And  he  said  no  more.  For  the  speakers 
who  followed  he  did  the  same  thing. 
This  made  me  very  conscious  of  the  fact 
that  the  testimonies  borne  by  members 
anywhere  in  the  Church,  regardless  of 


106  GENERAL  O 

Sunday,  October  1 

who  they  are,  or  where  they  come  from, 
state  or  imply  certain  fundamental  and 
significant  truths,  and  that  testimony 
bearing  itself  is  peculiar  to  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints. 

I  should  like  to  deal  briefly  with  three 
or  four  of  the  fundamentals  in  the  testi- 
mony of  a  Latter-day  Saint.  These 
testimonies  include  essential  points  of 
the  message  now  being  taken  by  the 
missionaries  to  the  world.  First,  that 
the  Godhead  is  composed  of  God  the 
Eternal  Father  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ 
and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  it  is  their 
testimony  that  God  the  Eternal  Father 
and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  are  Living 
Beings  of  flesh  and  bones  and  spirit, 
in  whose  image  we  are  made,  and  that 
".  .  .  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he 
gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  him  should  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life"  (John  3:16), 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Savior  of  the 
world  who  gave  his  life  that  all  man- 
kind may  be  saved  and  by  obedience 
to  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  the  gospel 
work  out  their  own  salvation  and  exalta- 
tion; that  God  the  Father  and  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ  both  appeared  in  person 
and  spoke  to  and  instructed  Joseph 
Smith;  that  Joseph  Smith  was  chosen 
as  a  Prophet  of  God  and  that  the  priest- 
hood was  restored  by  John  the  Baptist 
and  by  Peter,  James,  and  John  upon  the 
heads  of  Joseph  Smith  and  Oliver 
Cowdery;  that  this  priesthood  is  the 
power  of  God  delegated  to  man  to  act 
in  his  name,  and  that  it  is  now  in  the 
Church  and  is  the  authority  by  which 
all  ordinances  are  performed  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ;  that  the  gospel 
has  been  restored,  and  that  the  true 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  is  established; 
that  this  Church  is  an  organization 
similar  in  all  essentials  to  the  primitive 
Church  set  up  by  Christ  among  the 
Jews  with  apostles  and  prophets,  pastors 
and  teachers,  evangelists,  etc.;  and  that 
we  have  a  prophet  at  the  head  of  our 
Church  today  through  whom  the  Lord 
speaks  and  directs  his  people. 

This  is  the  testimony  of  these 
individual  members  of  the  Church 
throughout  the  world.  It  is  their  testi- 
mony also  that  the  Book  of  Mormon, 
which  was  translated  by  the  power  of 
God,  is  a  divinely  inspired  record  of 


Third  Day 

God's  dealings  with  the  early  inhabitants 
of  the  people  on  the  American  Continent, 
and  that  it  is  the  word  of  God,  and  as 
recorded  on  the  flyleaf  of  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  it  is  "Written  by  way  of  com- 
mandment, and  also  by  the  spirit  of 
prophecy  and  of  revelation —  ...  to  the 
convincing  of  the  Jew  and  Gentile  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Eternal  God, 
manifesting  himself  unto  all  nations. . . ." 

This  message  is  a  message  of  peace, 
the  plan  of  life  and  salvation,  which  is 
the  message  to  all  the  world,  to  accept 
Christ  as  the  Savior  of  the  world  and 
him  crucified  and  to  follow  the  admoni- 
tion of  Peter:  "Repent,  and  be  baptized 
every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye 
shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 
(Acts  2:38.) 

This  is  the  reason  there  are  9,000 
young  missionaries,  ranging  in  ages 
mostly  from  nineteen  to  twenty-two 
years  out  in  the  world,  receiving  no 
remuneration,  paying  their  own  expenses 
at  a  cost  of  more  than  $800,000  each 
month,  or  approximately  ten  million 
dollars  each  year,  or  twenty  million  for 
the  two  to  two  and  a  half  years  they 
are  in  the  mission  field.  While  in  the 
field  they  will  have  contributed  over 
18,000  missionary  years.  They  will 
have  sacrificed  18,000  man  years  of 
schooling  or  otherwise  productive  life 
to  teach  the  restored  gospel,  which  is 
the  plan  of  life  and  salvation,  and  to 
bring  souls  unto  Christ. 

This  is  a  service  of  love,  with  no 
thought  of  financial  gain,  but  with  an 
unselfish  desire  on  the  part  of  these 
devoted  young  missionaries  and  their 
parents  who  sacrifice  so  much  to  serve 
God  and  their  fellow  men. 

The  struggle  in  the  world  today  and 
the  threat  of  nuclear  war  would  be 
averted  tomorrow  and  peace  would 
reign  upon  the  earth  if  the  people  in 
the  world  would  accept  this  message. 
The  conflict  in  the  world  which 
threatens  the  free  agency  and  life  of 
every  individual  is  a  continuation  of 
the  war  in  heaven,  where  Satan  was  de- 
termined to  take  away  our  free  agency, 
God's  greatest  gift  to  man. 

As  we  read  in  the  scriptures:  ".  .  . 
because  that  Satan  rebelled  against  me, 
and  sought  to  destroy  the  agency  of 


ELDER  HOWARD  W.  HUNTER 


107 


man,  which  I,  the  Lord  God,  had  given 
him,  and  also,  that  I  should  give  unto 
him  mine  own  power;  by  the  power  of 
mine  Only  Begotten,  I  caused  that  he 
should  be  cast  down; 

"And  he  became  Satan,  yea,  even  the 
devil,  the  father  of  all  lies,  to  deceive 
and  to  blind  men,  and  to  lead  them 
captive  at  his  will,  even  as  many  as 
would  not  hearken  unto  my  voice." 
(Moses  4:3-4.) 

"Wherefore,  he  maketh  war  with  the 
saints  of  God,  and  encompasseth  them 
round  about."  (D&C  76:29.) 

This  was  so  evident  to  me  as  we  were 
in  Berlin  to  organize  a  stake  there.  I 
took  the  opportunity  of  going  into  East 
Berlin,  as  a  tourist  may  if  he  has  his 
proper  papers.  Here  we  have  an  out- 
standing example  of  the  contrast  of 
conditions  and  the  way  of  life  in  a 
divided  city  where  the  East  is  under 
the  domination  of  a  dictator  where  man 
has  been  robbed  of  his  freedom  and  is 
now  a  slave  of  the  state,  and  the  other 
part  of  the  city  where  he  still  enjoys 
much  of  his  freedom.  In  the  West, 
the  stores,  the  streets  with  their  bright 
lights,  the  cars,  the  hotels,  and  beauti- 
ful parks  are  all  bustling  with  people 
who  can  go  and  come  as  they  wish  and 
who  are  joyously  and  actively  engaged 
in  building  and  other  industrial  de- 
velopment. While  in  the  East  under 
the  domination  of  man,  you  see  very 
few  people  on  the  streets,  a  very  limited 
number  of  cars,  a  drab-looking  city  with 
ruins  on  all  sides,  and  the  people  with 
an  attitude  of  despondence,  despair, 
and  defeatism,  knowing  that  they  are 


at  the  beck  and  call  of  a  foreign  anti- 
Christ  dictator  with  policemen  and 
soldiers  on  every  side  to  see  that  they 
do  as  they  are  told  and  that  they  can- 
not escape.  Why?  Is  it  because  they 
are  so  happy  and  prosperous  and  con- 
tented with  conditions  there? 

Satan  is  at  work,  my  brethren  and 
sisters.  Our  freedom  is  at  stake.  It  is 
the  responsibility  of  everyone  who  calls 
himself  a  Christian,  and  particularly 
for  every  member  of  the  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  and 
more  particularly  for  every  holder  of  the 
priesthood  of  God,  to  take  a  firm  stand 
and  a  determined  stand  against  evil.  It 
is  my  testimony  to  you,  my  brothers  and 
sisters,  wherever  you  may  be,  that  God 
has  given  us  the  solution  to  our  prob- 
lems, the  plan  by  which  we  can  enjoy 
peace  in  the  world  and  peace  in  our 
lives. 

I  plead  with  you,  everyone,  wherever 
you  may  be,  to  accept  Christ  as  the 
Savior  of  the  world  and  to  go  forward 
as  champions  of  our  Heavenly  Father 
and  his  cause  and  keep  his  command- 
ments that  we  may  enjoy  his  Spirit  to 
be  with  us  at  all  times,  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 


President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  Nathan  Eldon  Tanner,  As- 
sistant to  the  Twelve  and  President  of 
the  West  European  Mission,  has  just 
given  that  testimony.  We  shall  now 
hear  from  Elder  Howard  W.  Hunter  of 
the  Council  of  the  Twelve. 


ELDER  HOWARD  W.  HUNTER 

Of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


There  is  a  growing  concept  among  men 
of  the  world  that  religion  is  something 
reserved  for  the  Sabbath  day,  or  for  the 
hour  spent  in  places  of  worship  or  in 
prayer.  Men  distinguish  between  the 
everyday  affairs  that  occupy  their  minds 
and  direct  their  activities  in  the  busy 
business  world,  and  those  things  within 
the  realm  of  theology.  "Don't  mix  re- 
ligion with  business,"  some  say.  Can 


religion  be  eliminated  from  the  affairs 
of  everyday  living? 

As  Christians,  I  suppose  we  could  de- 
fine religion  as  a  belief  in  God  and  a 
devotion  to  him,  which  belief  stimulates 
a  love  for  God  and  a  desire  to  serve 
him. 

James  said, 

"If  any  man  among  you  seem  to  be 
religious,  and  bridleth  not  his  tongue, 


108 

Sunday,  October  1 

but  deceiveth  his  own  heart,  this  man's 
religion  is  vain. 

"Pure  religion  and  undefiled  before 
God  and  the  Father  is  this,  To  visit  the 
fatherless  and  widows  in  their  affliction, 
and  to  keep  himself  unspotted  from  the 
world."  (James  1:26-27.) 

In  other  words,  religion  is  more  than 
a  knowledge  of  God  or  a  confession  of 
faith,  and  it  is  more  than  theology. 
Religion  is  the  doing  of  the  word  of 
God.  It  is  being  our  brother's  keeper, 
among  other  things.  To  keep  unspotted 
from  the  world  does  not  mean  that  one 
must  withdraw  from  all  association  with 
the  world,  but  rather  to  keep  away 
from  the  evils  of  the  world;  or  as  more 
beautifully  put  in  one  of  our  hymns, 
"Freedom  from  earth  stains." 

We  can  be  religious  in  worship  on 
the  Sabbath  day,  and  we  can  be  re- 
ligious in  our  duties  on  the  other  six 
days  of  the  week.  The  Apostle  Paul, 
writing  to  those  called  to  be  "saints"  at 
Corinth  stated: 

"Whether  therefore  ye  eat,  or  drink, 
or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory 
of  God."  (1  Cor.  10:31.) 

If  such  little  things  as  eating  and 
drinking  are  to  be  done  to  the  glory  of 
God,  how  much  more  important  it  must 
be  that  all  of  our  thoughts,  the  words 
we  speak,  or  acts,  conduct,  dealings  with 
neighbors,  business  transactions,  and  all 
of  our  everyday  affairs,  be  in  harmony 
with  our  religious  beliefs.  In  the  words 
of  Paul,  "whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to 
the  glory  of  God."  (Idem.)  Can  we 
therefore  eliminate  religion  from  our 
week-day  affairs  and  relegate  it  to  the 
Sabbath  day  only?  Surely  not,  if  we 
follow  Paul's  admonition. 

Religion  can  be  part  of  our  daily  work, 
our  business,  our  buying  and  selling, 
building,  transportation,  manufacturing, 
our  trade  or  profession,  or  of  anything 
we  do.  We  can  serve  God  by  honesty 
and  fair  dealing  in  our  business  trans- 
actions in  the  same  way  we  do  in  Sun- 
day worship.  The  true  principles  of 
Christianity  cannot  be  separate  and 
apart  from  business  and  our  everyday 
affairs. 

Religion  is  often  regarded  as  opposed 
to  pleasure,  but  God's  reason  for  creating 
man  is  that  he  might  have  joy. 

"Adam  fell  that  men  might  be;  and 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Third  Day 

men  are,  that  they  might  have  joy." 
(2  Nephi  2:25.) 

There  is  no  reason  why  joy  should  be 
turned  out-of-doors  before  religion  can 
come  in.  Many  people  think  of  a  re- 
ligious person  as  one  with  a  sad  counte- 
nance and  draped  in  black,  but  this  is 
not  so.  When  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
appeared  to  the  shepherds  to  announce 
the  birth  of  the  Savior,  he  said: 

". . .  Fear  not:  for,  behold,  I  bring  you 
good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall 
be  to  all  people."  (Luke  2:10.) 

Christ,  himself,  said: 

"...  I  am  come  that  they  might  have 
life,  and  that  they  might  have  it  more 
abundantly."  (John  10:10.) 

Joy  existed  in  the  pre-existence  before 
the  foundations  of  the  earth  were  laid, 
".  .  .  and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted 
for  joy."  (Job  38:7.) 

Peter,  in  his  epistle,  speaking  of  the 
appearance  of  Jesus  Christ,  said: 

".  .  .  though  now  ye  see  him  not,  yet 
believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy  unspeak- 
able and  full  of  glory:"  (1  Peter  1:8.) 

There  is  nothing  sad  or  gloomy  about 
a  person  who  accepts  the  truths  of  the 
gospel  and  incorporates  these  principles 
in  his  daily  living.  God  wants  all  of 
his  children  to  be  joyous  and  glad,  and 
we  can  have  this  blessing  if  we  are 
willing  to  keep  his  commandments  and 
live  by  his  word  in  all  that  we  do.  Thus 
living  one's  religion  must  apply  to 
temporal  affairs  as  much  as  it  does  to 
those  things  which  we  think  of  as 
spiritual. 

There  are  some  who  ask  why  the 
Church  is  concerned  with  temporal 
affairs.  The  Church  is  interested  in  the 
welfare  of  each  of  its  members.  This 
interest  therefore  cannot  be  limited  to 
man's  spiritual  needs  alone  but  extends 
to  every  phase  of  his  life.  Social  and 
economic  needs  are  important  to  every- 
one. Man  also  has  need  for  physical, 
mental,  and  moral  guidance.  Our  lives 
cannot  be  one-sided,  nor  can  we  separate 
the  spiritual  from  the  temporal.  The 
Lord  has  said: 

"Wherefore,  verily  I  say  unto  you  that 
all  things  unto  me  are  spiritual,  and 
not  at  any  time  have  I  given  unto  you 
a  law  which  was  temporal;  neither  any 
man,  nor  the  children  of  men;  neither 
Adam,  your  father,  whom  I  created. 


ELDER  HOWARD  W.  HUNTER 


109 


"Behold,  I  gave  unto  him  that  he 
should  be  an  agent  unto  himself;  and 
I  gave  unto  him  commandment,  but  no 
temporal  commandment  gave  I  unto 
him,  for  my  commandments  are  spirit- 
ual; they  are  not  natural  nor  temporal, 
neither  carnal  nor  sensual."  (D&C 
29:34-35.) 

The  Lord  makes  no  distinction  be- 
tween temporal  and  spiritual  command- 
ments, for  he  has  said  that  all  of  his 
commandments  are  spiritual.  When  we 
understand  the  plan  of  life  and  salva- 
tion, this  becomes  evident  to  us. 
Mortality  is  just  one  part  of  our  eternal 
life. 

We  know  where  we  came  from.  Holy 
writ  tells  us  that  we  were  born  the 
spiritual  children  of  our  Heavenly 
Father,  that  we  dwelt  with  him  in  a 
spiritual  existence  before  our  birth  into 
mortality.  The  divine  object  of  our 
coming  to  earth  is  to  obtain  a  body  of 
flesh  and  bones,  to  learn  by  the  experi- 
ences which  come  to  us  in  this  mortal 
life  the  difference  between  good  and 
evil,  and  to  accomplish  those  things 
which  the  Lord  commanded.  Thus  this 
life  is  the  schoolroom  of  our  journey 
through  eternity.  There  is  work  to 
do  and  lessons  to  learn  that  we  might 
prepare  and  qualify  ourselves  to  go  into 
the  spiritual  existence  to  follow. 

Man  distinguishes  between  the  tem- 
poral and  the  spiritual,  probably  be- 
cause living  in  mortality  between  the 
spiritual  pre-existence  and  the  spiritual 
life  hereafter,  he  fails  to  recognize  the 
full  significance  of  his  activities  during 
the  years  he  spends  on  earth.  To  the 
Lord  everything  is  both  spiritual  and 
temporal,  and  the  laws  he  gives  are 
consequently  spiritual,  because  they 
concern  spiritual  beings. 

Every  phase  of  our  life,  therefore, 
becomes  the  concern  of  the  Church. 
The  great  welfare  program  of  the 
Church  demonstrates  this  principle.  The 
Church  is  interested  in  our  social  and 
our  recreational  needs,  educational,  fam- 
ily life,  our  business  affairs,  and  all  that 
we  do. 

There  is  no  way  we  can  separate  the 
activities  of  worship  on  the  Sabbath  day 
from  the  many  pursuits  of  the  week- 
day by  calling  one  religious  and  the 
other  temporal.  Both  are  spiritual.  God 


has  ordained  them  thus,  for  they  consist 
of  our  thoughts  and  actions  as  we  wend 
our  way  through  this  part  of  eternity. 
Thus  our  business  transactions,  our 
daily  labors,  our  trade  or  profession,  or 
whatever  we  do  become  part  of  living 
the  gospel. 

This  imposes  upon  us  a  high  duty 
and  a  high  responsibility.  If  all  men 
would  live  in  obedience  to  these  princi- 
ples in  their  daily  lives  and  in  their 
dealings  with  each  other,  and  if  this 
same  code  would  prevail  among  those 
who  are  in  leadership  among  the  peoples 
and  nations  of  the  world,  righteousness 
would  prevail,  peace  would  return,  and 
the  blessings  of  the  Lord  would  be 
showered  down  upon  his  children. 

Righteous  living  must  start  in  the 
lives  of  individuals.  Each  of  us  has  the 
duty.  It  must  be  incorporated  into 
family  living.  Parents  have  the  responsi- 
bility to  live  these  principles  and  teach 
them  to  their  children.  Religion  must 
be  part  of  our  living.  The  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ  must  become  the  motivat- 
ing influence  in  all  that  we  do.  There 
must  be  more  striving  within  in  order 
to  follow  the  great  example  set  by  the 
Savior  if  we  are  to  become  more  like 
him.  This  becomes  our  great  challenge. 

Our  daily  prayer  might  well  be  stated 
in  the  words  of  the  hymn: 

"More  holiness  give  me, 
More  strength  to  o'ercome; 
More  freedom  from  earth  stains, 
More  longing  for  home; 
More  fit  for  the  kingdom, 
More  used  would  I  be; 
More  blessed  and  holy, 
More,  Savior,  like  thee." 

I  witness  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the 
Savior  of  the  world.  If  only  we  could 
catch  the  vision  and  conform  our  lives 
to  his  teachings,  we  would  find  that  joy 
which  has  been  promised  to  us.  In 
whatever  we  eat  or  drink,  or  whatever 
we  do,  may  it  all  be  done  to  the  glory 
of  God  I  humbly  pray,  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  Howard  W.  Hunter  of  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve  has  just  con- 
cluded speaking. 


110 

Sunday,  October  1 

The  closing  song  by  the  Tabernacle 
Choir  will  be  "Hallelujah"  (from  the 
"Mount  of  Olives"),  conducted  by 
Richard  P.  Condie,  and  the  benediction 
will  be  offered  by  Elder  Joseph  R.  Ison, 
president  of  the  Nampa  Stake,  following 
which  this  Conference  will  be  adjourned 
until  two  o'clock  this  afternoon. 

Brethren  and  sisters,  in  bringing  to 
a  close  this  sixth  session  of  the  One 
Hundred  Thirty-First  Semi-Annual  Con- 
ference, we  express  our  sincere  appre- 
ciation to  the  owners  and  managers  of 
the  many  television  and  radio  stations 
who  have  offered  their  facilities  to  us. 
We  are  grateful  for  this  wonderful  pub- 
lic service.  A  total  of  22  radio  stations 
and  21  television  stations  in  the  West 
are  carrying  the  proceedings  of  this 
Conference.  According  to  a  survey,  it 
is  estimated  that  over  a  million  people 
are  listening  to  this  morning's  session. 

We  are  grateful  for  the  attendance  of 
all  who  are  present  in  the  Tabernacle, 
in  the  Assembly  Hall  and  Barratt  Hall. 
We  are  pleased  with  the  messages  we 
received  yesterday,  among  which  was 
one  from  students  of  the  Payson 
Seminary — a  hundred  and  ten  of  them. 
Some  of  them  for  the  first  time  in  their 
lives  attended  the  session. 

We  recognize  the  presence  of  the 
Honorable  Ralph  R.  Harding,  Congress- 
man from  Idaho.  You  be  pleased  also 
that  the  following  have  been  noticed 
in  our  session  this  morning,  and  many 
of  them  I  have  noticed  at  several  other 
sessions:  Senator  Wallace  F.  Bennett, 
Congressman  David  S.  King;  I  have 
already  mentioned  Senator  Ralph  Hard- 
ing from  Idaho;  Governor  George  Dewey 
Clyde,  last  evening  also,  and  is  present 
this  morning;  and  Secretary  of  State, 
Lamont  Toronto;  Sharp  M.  Larsen,  the 
State  Treasurer;  Dr.  Ernest  L.  Wilkin- 
son, president  of  the  Brigham  Young 
University;  Dr.  A.  Ray  Olpin,  president 
of  the  University  of  Utah — I  missed  him 
yesterday  when  his  boys  and  girls  were 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Third  Day 

singing.  They  did  well,  Dr.  Olpin; 
President  Daryl  Chase  of  the  Utah 
State  University;  President  Homer 
Durham  of  Arizona  State  University; 
President  John  L.  Clarke  of  Ricks  Col- 
lege; Dr.  William  P.  Miller,  president 
of  Weber  College;  Judge  A.  Sherman 
Christenson  of  the  Federal  Court;  Super- 
intendent M.  Lynn  Bennion  of  our  Salt 
Lake  City  Schools;  and  undoubtedly 
many  others. 

We  are  grateful  for  the  attendance  in 
the  Assembly  Hall  and  in  Barratt  Hall 
of  many  of  our  Conference  visitors  who 
are  here  for  the  first  time,  and  of  course, 
you  stake  presidencies,  high  councilmen, 
bishoprics,  temple  presidents,  and  all 
the  General  Authorities  and  general  of- 
ficers of  the  Church. 

We  should  say  a  word  of  appreciation 
for  the  flowers  all  the  way  from  Hawaii, 
the  antheriums,  from  the  Oahu  Stake. 

I  mentioned  the  General  Priesthood 
Meeting  held  last  evening  and  the  ex- 
cellent presentation  by  Elder  Lee  and 
Elder  Evans  of  the  correlation  plan  and 
the  spiritual  feast  of  probably  40,000 
members  of  the  Priesthood  at  the  Gen- 
eral Priesthood  Meeting  in  about  300 
stake  gatherings. 

The  singing  of  this  morning's  session 
has  been  furnished  by  the  Tabernacle 
Choir,  with  Richard  P.  Condie  con- 
ducting and  Alexander  Schreiner  at  the 
organ. 

We  will  conclude  this  service  now 
with  the  anthem,  "Hallelujah"  from  the 
"Mount  of  Olives,"  and  Elder  Joseph  R. 
Ison,  president  of  the  Nampa  Stake, 
will  offer  the  benediction. 

The  anthem,  "Hallelujah"  (from  the 
"Mount  of  Olives")  was  the  closing 
number  by  the  Tabernacle  Choir. 

Elder  Joseph  R.  Ison,  president  of  the 
Nampa  Stake,  offered  the  closing 
prayer. 

Conference  adjourned  until  2:00  p.m. 


THIRD  DAY 
AFTERNOON  MEETING 


The  concluding  session  of  the  Confer- 
ence was  held  in  the  Tabernacle  at 
2  o'clock  p.m.,  Sunday,  October  1,  with 


President  David  O.  McKay  presiding  and 
conducting. 
The  music  for  this  session  of  the  Con- 


ELDER  MILTON  R.  HUNTER 


111 


ference  was  furnished  by  the  Tabernacle 
Choir,  Richard  P.  Condie  and  Jay  E. 
Welch  directing,  with  Frank  W.  Asper 
at  the  organ. 

President  David  O.  McKay  opened  the 
meeting  with  the  following  remarks: 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

These  services  are  being  broadcast  by 
television  and  radio  stations  throughout 
the  West.  The  names  of  these  stations 
were  announced  at  the  beginning  of  this 
meeting. 

The  music  for  this  session  will  be 
rendered  by  the  Tabernacle  Choir,  with 
Richard  P.  Condie  conducting,  and 
Elder  Frank  W.  Asper  at  the  organ. 

We  shall  begin  these  services  by  the 
Choir  singing,  "How  Lovely  Are  The 
Messengers,"  with  Jay  E.  Welch,  As- 
sistant Conductor,  directing.  The  in- 
vocation will  be  offered  by  Nicholas  J. 
Teerlink,  president  of  the  Wells  Stake. 

"How  Lovely  Are  The  Messengers" 
was  sung  by  the  Tabernacle  Choir,  Jay 


E.  Welch,  Assistant  Tabernacle  Choir 
leader,  conducting. 

Elder  Nicholas  J.  Teerlink,  president 
of  the  Wells  Stake,  offered  the  in- 
vocation. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

President  Nicholas  J.  Teerlink  of  the 
Wells  Stake  has  just  offered  the  invo- 
cation. The  Choir  will  now  sing,  "Of 
The  Father's  Love  Begotten,"  Richard 
P.  Condie  conducting,  after  which  we 
shall  hear  from  Elder  Milton  R.  Hunter 
of  the  First  Council  of  Seventy. 

The  Choir  sang,  "Of  The  Father's 

Love  Begotten,"  Richard  P.  Condie 
conducting. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  Milton  R.  Hunter  of  the  First 
Council  of  Seventy  will  be  our  first 
speaker.  He  will  be  followed  by  Elder 
Sonne. 


ELDER  MILTON  R.  HUNTER 

Of  the  First  Council  of  the  Seventy 


My  dear  brethren  and  sisters,  we  are 
living  in  a  great  age  of  the  Church.  I 
thrill  when  I  think  about  the  tremen- 
dous growth  that  is  taking  place,  and 
especially  when  I  meditate  on  the  devel- 
opment of  the  various  phases  of  church 
activity.  This  unusual  growth  and 
development  has  taken  place  primarily 
during  the  past  few  years  since  Presi- 
dent David  O.  McKay  became  leader 
of  the  Church. 

As  President  Henry  D.  Moyle  said 
yesterday,  truly  the  stone  has  been  cut 
out  of  the  mountain  without  hands,  and 
it  is  destined  to  roll  forth  and  fill  the 
whole  earth.  (See  Daniel  2:34-35,  45.) 

As  I  travel  throughout  the  Church  and 
meet  with  the  stake  presidencies,  the 
other  officers,  and  the  people  in  general 
of  the  various  stakes,  I  thrill  with  their 
devotion.  Thousands  and  thousands  of 
them  have  an  eye  single  to  the  glory  of 
God  and  to  the  upbuilding  of  the  king- 
dom. They  bear  solemn  testimonies 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  and  that  this  is 


his  true  Church.  I  marvel  how  devoted 
to  the  cause  of  righteousness  many  Lat- 
ter-day Saints  are. 

On  the  other  hand,  when  I  look  at 
the  reports  of  the  various  stakes  and  ob- 
serve how  many  members  have  their 
names  on  the  records  who  are  not  keep- 
ing the  commandments,  it  causes  my 
heart  to  sadden.  It  causes  me  to  want 
to  do  all  I  can  to  help  change  that  con- 
dition. I  strongly  desire  that  all  Latter- 
day  Saints  work  out  their  eternal  exal- 
tation now  while  the  opportunity  is 
ours. 

It  seems  that  many  in  the  Church  do 
not  appreciate  the  gospel.  They  do  not 
realize  that  if  they  attain  the  greatest 
amount  of  joy  in  this  life  and  eternal 
life  in  the  world  to  come,  they  must 
prove  faithful  now.  This  life  is  our 
opportunity.  Yes,  our  chance  to  serve 
God  is  now!  Today  is  the  day  for  us 
to  prepare  to  meet  God.  We  cannot  put 
it  off  until  the  next  world. 

Some  2,500  years  ago,  Nephi,  looking 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


112 

Sunday,  October  1 

down  through  the  stream  of  time,  saw 
our  day  and  prophesied  about  it  exten- 
sively. He  said  that  in  the  last  days 
the  God  of  heaven  would  proceed  to 
bring  forth  a  marvelous  work  and  a 
wonder.  He  described  this  work  and  the 
great  effect  it  would  have  upon  the 
people  of  the  world. 

Nephi  also  proclaimed  that  many 
Church  members  in  our  day  would  not 
be  faithful.  He  said  that  they  would 
be  influenced  by  the  Evil  One;  that 
they  would  be  deceived  and  dragged 
down  to  hell.  Let  me  read  one  of  Nephi's 
statements: 

"And  there  shall  also  be  many  which 
shall  say:  Eat,  drink,  and  be  merry; 
nevertheless,  fear  God — he  will  justify 
in  committing  a  little  sin;  yea,  lie  a 
little,  take  the  advantage  of  one  because 
of  his  words,  dig  a  pit  for  thy  neighbor; 
there  is  no  harm  in  this;  and  do  all 
these  things,  for  tomorrow  we  die;  and 
if  it  so  be  that  we  are  guilty,  God  will 
beat  us  with  a  few  stripes,  and  at  last 
we  shall  be  saved  in  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

"Yea,  and  there  shall  be  many  which 
shall  teach  after  this  manner,  false  and 
vain  and  foolish  doctrines,  .  .  ."  (2  Ne- 
phi 28:8-9.) 

It  seems  to  me  that  the  principle 
theme  of  this  conference  has  been  obe- 
dience to  God's  commandments.  I  have 
a  strong  feeling  in  my  heart  this  after- 
noon to  say  something  to  cause  some  of 
us  to  recognize  the  importance  of  keep- 
ing God's  commandments  at  the  present 
time  while  the  opportunity  is  ours. 

I  remember  that  a  few  years  before 
President  Grant  died,  he  came  to  a 
general  conference  one  day  and  said 
that  while  preparing  his  mind  for  con- 
ference he  had  wondered  what  great 
blessing  he  could  give  to  the  Latter-day 
Saints.  He  pondered  on  what  good  thing 
he  could  do  for  them.  And  then  he  re- 
marked, "Under  the  inspiration  of  the 
Lord  I  have  come  to  conference  with 
the  one  simple  idea,  'Keep  God's  com- 
mandments!' " 

Many  Latter-day  Saints  think  that 
they  can  reject  temple  marriage,  fail 
to  pay  their  tithes  and  offering,  commit 
various  sins  here  in  mortality  and  that 
they  will  have  another  chance  to  make 
all  of  this  up  in  the  life  to  come.  I 


Third  Day 

desire  to  emphasize  the  point  that  now 
is  the  time  for  members  of  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  to 
render  obedience  to  all  of  the  Master's 
laws  and  ordinances.  It  is  required  that 
we  keep  God's  commandments  now,  be- 
cause we  have  taken  upon  ourselves 
the  name  of  Christ.  We  are  members 
of  his  Church,  and  so  we  are  having 
our  opportunity  to  render  obedience  to 
all  of  his  commandments  now.  We 
should  perform  our  own  ordinances  in 
the  temple  and  keep  all  of  the  Lord's 
commandments  while  the  day  lasts, 
because  for  us  the  night  may  come 
wherein  we  cannot  work.  That  would 
be  terrible  if  we  had  not  proved 
faithful. 

In  the  account  of  the  grand  council  of 
heaven  we  read:  "And  there  stood  one 
among  them  that  was  like  unto  God, 
and  he  said  unto  those  who  were  with 
him:  We  will  go  down,  for  there  is 
space  there,  and  we  will  take  of  these 
materials,  and  we  will  make  an  earth 
whereon  these  may  dwell; 

"And  we  will  prove  them  herewith, 
to  see  if  they  will  do  all  things  whatso- 
ever the  Lord  their  God  shall  command 
them,  .  .  ."   (Abraham  3:24-25.) 

Thus,  in  the  very  beginning — even  in 
the  spirit  world — we  were  informed  that 
mortality  was  to  be  a  state  of  probation, 
a  proving  ground,  to  see  if  we  would 
keep  all  of  God's  commandments.  That 
same  idea  was  verified  in  a  modern 
revelation  through  the  Prophet  Joseph 
Smith  to  the  Latter-day  Saints.  Jesus 
Christ,  our  Lord,  declared: 

"And  I  now  give  unto  you  a  command- 
ment to  beware  concerning  yourselves, 
to  give  diligent  heed  to  the  words  of 
eternal  life. 

"For  you  shall  live  by  every  word 
that  proceedeth  forth  from  the  mouth 
of  God."  (D8;C  84:43-44.) 

A  little  later  another  revelation  came 
to  the  Prophet  which  warned  the  Saints 
as  follows: 

"For  if  you  will  that  I  give  unto  you 
a  place  in  the  celestial  world,  you  must 
prepare  yourselves  by  doing  the  things 
which  I  have  commanded  you  and  re- 
quired of  you."  (Ibid.,  78:7.) 

Jesus  Christ  is  the  great  Lawgiver  and 
Judge.  He  is  the  one  that  will  give  us 
our  rewards  and  blessings  for  righteous- 


ELDER  MILTON  R.  HUNTER 


113 


ness,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  withhold 
blessings  or  give  us  the  punishments  for 
failing  to  live  righteous  lives.  He  judges 
on  a  very  fair  basis  by  eternal  law.  He 
cares  not  whether  one  is  rich  or  poor, 
bond  or  free,  male  or  female. 

Jesus  judges  by  what  is  in  one's  heart: 
".  .  .  for  out  of  the  abundance  of  the 
heart  the  mouth  speaketh,"  (Matt. 
12:34),  and,  "For  as  he  thinketh  in  his 
heart,  so  is  he:  .  .  ."  (Proverbs  23:7.) 

And  so  the  Lord's  judgment  will  be 
based  upon  law.  We  shall  receive  ex- 
actly what  we  merit.  We  read  in  the 
Doctrine  and  Covenants: 

"There  is  a  law,  irrevocably  decreed  in 
heaven  before  the  foundations  of  this 
world,  upon  which  all  blessings  are 
predicated — 

"And  when  we  obtain  any  blessing 
from  God,  it  is  by  obedience  to  that  law 
upon  which  it  is  predicated."  (D&C 
130:20-21.) 

As  we  learned  in  the  Mutual  theme  a 
few  years  ago,  the  Lord  also  said: 

"I,  the  Lord,  am  bound  when  ye  do 
what  I  say;  but  when  ye  do  not  what  I 
say,  ye  have  no  promise."  (Ibid.,  82:10.) 

I  think,  my  brothers  and  sisters,  that 
we  should  not  only  avoid  committing 
sins,  but  we  should  also  avoid  doing 
things  that  appear  to  be  sinful. 

When  I  was  a  young  man,  I  heard 
a  good  woman  say  several  times,  "Don't 
do  anything  wrong.  Don't  do  anything 
that  even  appears  to  be  wrong." 

Of  course,  at  that  time  I  thought  that 
that  statement  was  somewhat  foolish; 
but  as  I  have  become  older  and  have  ob- 
served human  nature,  I  have  come  to 
know  that  the  example  we  set  causes 
many  people  to  do  wrong.  Our  example 
may  also  cause  them  to  do  right.  And 
so  now  I  think  that  that  statement  is  a 
very  wise  one. 

Let  me  illustrate  with  a  little  per- 
sonal experience.  A  few  years  ago, 
accompanied  by  a  welfare  man,  I  was 
on  the  way  to  Seattle  to  a  stake  con- 
ference. The  train  stopped  at  Portland 
for  the  passengers  to  eat  breakfast.  As  we 
ordered  our  breakfast,  as  usual  the  wait- 
ress asked  if  we  would  care  for  coffee. 
Of  course,  as  always,  we  replied,  "No, 
thank  you."  But  when  she  brought  the 
breakfast,  she  set  two  cups  of  coffee  be- 


side our  plates  and  left  quickly. 

I  said  to  the  welfare  man,"I  am  not 
going  to  leave  this  coffee  beside  our 
plates  while  we  eat." 

He  replied,  "We  could  push  them 
aside  a  little  distance  from  our  plates, 
and  I  think  it  will  be  okay." 

The  waitress  returned  about  then.  I 
asked  her  to  remove  the  coffee,  stating 
that  we  had  not  ordered  it.  No  sooner 
had  she  got  away  from  the  table  with 
the  two  cups  of  coffee  than  the  door 
opened  and  in  walked  the  stake  presi- 
dent of  the  Portland  Stake.  He  spied 
us  immediately,  came  over  and  sat  down 
by  us,  and  conversed  with  us  all  the 
time  while  we  ate  breakfast. 

When  we  got  back  on  the  train,  the 
welfare  man  said,  "My,  that  was  a  nar- 
row escape.  If  we  had  had  that  coffee 
on  the  table,  we  could  not  have  con- 
vinced that  stake  president  that  we  had 
not  ordered  it  and  that  we  had  not  in- 
tended to  drink  it." 

Brothers  and  sisters,  all  of  us  who 
are  members  of  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  have  entered 
into  a  covenant  with  the  Lord  to  keep 
all  of  his  commandments  now  while 
here  in  mortality.  In  the  words  of  the 
Preacher: 

"Let  us  hear  the  conclusion  of  the 
whole  matter:  Fear  God,  and  keep  his 
commandments:  for  this  is  the  whole 
duty  of  man. 

"For  God  shall  bring  every  work 
into  judgment,  with  every  secret  thing, 
whether  it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be 
evil."    (Ecclesiastes  12:13-14.) 

I  humbly  pray  that  as  members  of 
the  true  Church,  we  will  strive  hard 
"to  do  justly,  to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk 
humbly  with  our  God."  (See  Micah 
6:8);  and  after  mortal  life  has  closed, 
may  we  find  a  glorious  home  prepared 
for  us  in  his  mansion  on  high. 

In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  Milton  R.  Hunter  of  the  First 
Council  of  Seventy  has  just  concluded 
speaking.  Elder  Alma  Sonne,  Assistant 
to  the  Twelve,  will  now  speak  to  us, 
and  he  will  be  followed  by  Elder 
Hinckley. 


114 

Sunday,  October  1 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 

ELDER  ALMA  SONNE 

Assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


Third  Day 


President  McKay,  brethren  and  sisters, 
after  having  listened  to  the  music  dur- 
ing these  conference  sessions,  and  after 
having  heard  the  prayers  which  have 
been  so  fervently  offered,  and  hearing 
also  the  stirring  sermons  which  have 
been  delivered,  and  having  felt  the 
spirit  of  all  meetings  in  this  conference, 
I  have  been  led  to  say  in  my  own  heart, 
"Surely  this  is  the  marvelous  work  and 
wonder  spoken  of  by  Isaiah  the  prophet." 

Seven  or  eight  months  ago  President 
Joseph  Fielding  Smith  in  speaking  to 
the  General  Authorities  of  the  Church 
suggested  that  each  one  of  them  read 
the  Book  of  Mormon  during  the  year. 
Like  many  others,  I  began  the  reading. 
I  have  almost  finished  it.  At  the  same 
time  I  also  read  Orson  Pratt's  treatise 
on  the  book  as  he  wrote  it  many  years 
ago.  It  has  been  refreshing  and  stimu- 
lating to  me  and  certainly  very  en- 
lightening, even  though  it  has  been 
read  and  referred  to  many  times  over 
the  years. 

Elder  Pratt,  in  writing  his  analysis 
of  this  latter-day  scripture,  makes  this 
statement:  "The  book  must  be  either 
true  or  false.  If  true,  it  is  one  of  the 
most  important  messages  ever  sent  from 
God.  If  false,  it  is  one  of  the  most 
cunning,  wicked,  bold,  deep-laid  im- 
positions ever  pawned  on  the  world." 

Many  people  during  this  year  are 
reading  the  Book  of  Mormon.  Many 
have  read  it  in  the  past,  and  many  will 
read  it  in  the  future.  It  was  given 
to  the  world  through  Joseph  Smith 
the  Prophet  when  he  was  a  young  man 
in  his  early  twenties.  The  Prophet  was 
a  humble  man.  He  was  unlearned  in 
the  arts,  the  sciences,  and  literature  of 
the  world.  At  the  same  time  he  laid 
no  claim  whatever  to  any  literary  power 
or  ability.  The  book  was  not  produced 
as  a  result  of  prolonged  preparation  or 
any  studious  effort  such  as  the  writing 
of  a  book  would  entail.  It  is  in  perfect 
harmony  with  the  Bible  teachings.  It 
contains  a  similar  message  and  empha- 
sizes the  same  truths.  No  book  was  ever 
written  with  a  higher  and  a  nobler 
purpose.  Its  aim  is  to  teach  the  Jew 
and  the  Gentile  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ, 


the  Eternal  God  who  manifests  himself 
to  all  nations. 

It  is  and  always  has  been  a  builder  of 
faith  and  a  converter  of  souls.  Its  power 
in  these  respects  is  marvelous  and  be- 
yond the  understanding  of  the  un- 
believing and  those  who  "are  wise  in 
their  own  eyes  and  prudent  in  their  own 
sight."  A  humble  approach  to  its  read- 
ing is  necessary. 

Readers  of  the  book  are  left  with 
God's  help  to  determine  its  value,  its 
divinity,  and  its  truthfulness.  They  are 
not  asked  to  consult  with  the  scholars 
or  the  recognized  men  of  learning  as 
to  its  validity.  They  are  cautioned,  how- 
ever, to  ask  God  the  Eternal  Father  in 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  regarding  the 
reliability  and  the  trustworthiness  of 
the  message  it  contains,  directed  as  it 
is  to  the  Jews,  the  Gentiles,  and  the 
remnant  of  the  Nephite  race. 

Under  that  procedure  they  will  re- 
ceive a  testimony  as  to  its  sanctity  and 
authenticity  which  is  stronger  and 
mightier  than  all  the  arguments  of 
cynics  and  skeptics.  No  one  has  found 
anything  that  nullifies  the  testimony  of 
the  three  witnesses  to  this  sacred  volume. 
Their  testimonies  still  stand.  Not  a 
single  thing  has  been  brought  to  light, 
not  a  single  thing  to  discredit  their 
solemn  declaration.  It  was  challenged, 
as  you  may  know  and  surmise,  and  the 
integrity  of  the  witnesses  was  ques- 
tioned. Their  characters  were  assailed, 
and  they  were  accused  of  being  in  col- 
lusion with  a  wicked  pretender  and  a 
false  prophet. 

It  has  always  been  so  and  naturally 
was  expected,  for  the  world  is  full  of 
doubters  and  cynics.  Jesus  knew  this 
when  he  talked  to  Nicodemus.  "We 
speak  that  we  do  know,"  said  Jesus, 
"and  testify  that  we  have  seen;  and  ye 
receive  not  our  witness. 

"If  I  have  told  you  earthly  things, 
and  ye  believe  not,  how  shall  ye  believe, 
if  I  tell  you  of  heavenly  things?"  (John 
3:11-12.) 

These  were  the  words  of  the  Master, 
but  these  witnesses  never  wavered  in 
their  testimony.  They  left  the  Church 
and  were  unfriendly  to  the  Prophet. 


ELDER  GORDON  B.  HINCKLEY 


115 


They  were  excommunicated  at  a  time 
when  the  Church  needed  their  support. 
There  is  something  dramatic  about 
Oliver  Cowdery's  return  to  the  Church. 
The  day  he  came  back  the  fortunes  of 
the  Church  were  at  their  lowest  ebb. 
The  people  were  outcast  and  had  been 
driven  from  their  homes  and  possessions. 
Fully  repentant,  Oliver  Cowdery  was 
baptized  and  entered  the  Church  as  a 
humble  member. 

Martin  Harris  returned  and  was  bap- 
tized after  a  long  period  on  the  outside. 
His  numerous  testimonies  to  his  neigh- 
bors and  friends  are  a  vindication 
against  the  charges  that  he  had  denied 
his  testimony. 

David  Whitmer,  disgruntled  and  dis- 
appointed, did  not  return.  He  claimed 
the  Church  had  left  him;  that  he  had 
not  left  the  Church.  He  evidently  lacked 
humility  which  is  required  of  faithful 
members  of  the  Church.  His  last  act 
was  to  reconfirm  his  testimony  and  to 
rebuke  those  who  had  accused  him  of 
being  unfaithful  to  the  written  docu- 
ment which  he  had  signed.  He  executed 
an  affidavit  on  his  deathbed  to  silence 
those  who  had  questioned  his  integrity. 

But  the  book  itself  is  the  best  evidence 
of  its  divinity.  If  the  book  is  a  fraud, 
Joseph  Smith  knew  it.  There  could  be 
no  question  in  his  mind  about  its  being 
fraudulent  or  genuine.  He  had  the 
answer.  Thousands  have  read  it  and 
have  come  away  with  the  same  testi- 
mony which  he  and  the  others  gave. 
Not  a  single  logical  explanation  has 
been  offered  to  discredit  the  claim  of 
the  Prophet  and  his  associates.  The  book 
still  stands  as  a  divine  record,  unmarred 
by  the  attacks  of  critics,  most  of  whom 
were  insincere  and  untrustworthy. 


If  Joseph  Smith  wilfully  and  deliber- 
ately fabricated  that  volume  and  gave 
it  to  the  world  as  scripture,  he  was 
unworthy  of  the  confidence  of  all  good 
men.  Of  all  men  he  would  be  the  most 
deceptive  and  the  most  dishonest  He 
would  be  a  stranger  to  every  divine  and 
holy  impulse.  By  every  law  of  affinity 
his  mind  would  be  darkened  by  his 
evil  designs.  God's  Spirit  would  depart 
from  him.  No  heavenly  inspiration  or 
enlightenment  could  emanate  from  one 
so  bad,  but  his  scriptural  productions, 
every  one,  emphasize  moral  and  spiritual 
values.  They  are  warnings  against 
wrongdoing.  They  are  confirmations  of 
Bible  teachings. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  especially  is  a 
strong  indictment  against  every  sin  in 
every  form.  I  beg  of  you,  brethren  and 
sisters,  to  read  the  book;  and  as  you  go 
home  following  this  conference,  open 
the  sacred  volume  and  read  it  slowly 
and  prayerfully,  chapter  by  chapter, 
until  it  is  finished,  and,  if  you  will  do 
so,  God  will  bless  you.  He  will  strength- 
en your  testimony.  He  will  increase  your 
faith,  and  he  will  bless  you  in  your 
devotion  to  the  great  cause  for  which  we 
all  stand. 

May  you  and  I  be  faithful  in  all 
things  I  pray  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Amen. 


President  David  O.  McKay: 

We  have  just  listened  to  Elder  Alma 
Sonne,  Assistant  to  the  Twelve.  Elder 
Gordon  B.  Hinckley,  whom  we  sustained 
yesterday  as  a  member  of  the  Council 
of  the  Twelve,  will  now  speak  to  us. 


ELDER  GORDON  B.  HINCKLEY 

Of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


My  beloved  leaders,  my  dear  brethren 
and  sisters,  it  would  be  neither  appro- 
priate nor  desirable  for  me  to  speak  at 
length.  I  wish  merely  to  share  briefly 
with  you  some  of  the  feelings  of  my 
heart. 

Sister  Romney  told  me  yesterday 
afternoon  that  she  knew  that  I  was  the 
one  to  be  sustained  because  of  the  ap- 
pearance of  my  eyes  when  she  talked 


with  me  yesterday  morning.  I  confess 
that  I  have  wept  and  prayed. 

I  think  I  feel  some  sense  of  the  burden 
of  this  responsibility  to  stand  as  a  wit- 
ness of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  before  a 
world  that  is  reluctant  to  accept  him. 
"I  stand  all  amazed  at  the  love  Jesus 
offers  me."  I  am  subdued  by  the  confi- 
dence of  the  Lord's  Prophet  in  me,  and 
by  the  expressed  love  of  these,  my 


116 

Sunday,  October  1 

brethren,  beside  whom  I  feel  like  a 
pigmy.  I  pray  for  strength;  I  pray  for 
help;  and  I  pray  for  the  faith  and  the 
will  to  be  obedient.  I  think  that  I 
need — and  I  feel  that  all  of  us  need — 
discipline,  if  this  great  work  is  to  roll 
forward  as  it  is  ordained  to  do. 

I  expressed  three  and  a  half  years 
ago  when  I  stood  here  my  appreciation 
for  the  name  which  I  bear  [Bryant  S. 
Hinckley,  his  father],  which  has  come 
from  faithful  forebears,  who  gave  much 
and  received  little  that  I  might  receive 
much  while  giving  little. 

I  was  moved  this  morning  as  the  choir 
sang  that  great  anthem,  "Crown  Him 
Lord  of  All."  The  unity,  the  harmony, 
and  the  discipline  of  this  choir  always 
impress  me.  Now,  my  brethren  and 
sisters,  God  has  written  the  score  which 
we  are  to  perform.  Our  prophet  is  our 
director.  With  effort  and  with  harmony 
we  can  stir  the  world  and  "crown  him 
Lord  of  all,"  if  we  have  the  will  to 
discipline  ourselves  with  that  restraint 
which  comes  of  true  testimony. 

I  would  like  to  say  that  this  cause  is 
either  true  or  false.  Either  this  is  the 
kingdom  of  God,  or  it  is  a  sham  and  a 
delusion.  Either  Joseph  talked  with  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  or  he  did  not.  If 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Third  Day 

he  did  not,  we  are  engaged  in  blas- 
phemy. If  he  did,  we  have  a  duty  from 
which  none  of  us  can  shrink — to  declare 
to  the  world  the  living  reality  of  the 
God  of  the  universe,  the  Father  of  us 
all;  and  of  his  Son,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Savior  of  the  world,  our 
Redeemer,  the  Author  of  our  salvation, 
the  Prince  of  Peace. 

I  give  you  my  testimony  that  this  is 
true.  It  is  not  false.  Our  detractors 
may  debate  theology,  but  they  cannot 
refute  this  testimony  which  has  come 
by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  into 
my  heart  and  into  your  hearts,  and 
which  I  solemnly  declare  this  day  as  I 
express  unto  you  my  appreciation  for 
your  sustaining  hands  and  hearts,  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

We  have  just  heard  from  Elder 
Gordon  B.  Hinckley  of  the  Missionary 
Department,  member  of  the  Quorum  of 
the  Twelve  Apostles  of  the  Church. 
Elder  S.  Dilworth  Young  will  please 
come  forward  and  speak  to  us.  Elder 
Young  is  a  member  of  the  First  Council 
of  the  Seventy. 


ELDER  SEYMOUR  DILWORTH  YOUNG 

Of  the  First  Council  of  the  Seventy 


Yesterday  Elder  Marion  G.  Romney 
mentioned  the  matter  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
and  said  that  one  does  not  hear  it  with 
his  ears.  May  I  read  to  you  a  verse  of 
scripture  which  verifies  that.  Nephi  was 
rebuking  his  two  brothers  who  were 
intent  upon  killing  him  as  they  jour- 
neyed toward  the  Promised  Land.  He 
reminded  them  that  they  thought  to 
murder  his  father,  but  also  their  intent 
was  to  murder  him,  and  therefore  in 
their  hearts  they  were  murderers.  Then 
he  reminded  them  of  the  times  which 
the  Lord  had  tried  to  impress  them  in 
these  words: 

"Ye  have  seen  an  angel,  and  he  spake 
unto  you;  yea,  ye  have  heard  his 
voice  from  time  to  time;  and  he  hath 
spoken  unto  you  in  a  still  small  voice;" 
— and  this  is  the  part  I  would  like  to 


have  you  hear — "but  ye  were  past  feel- 
ing, that  ye  could  not  feel  his 
words; ..."  (1  Nephi  17:45.) 

I  used  to  wonder  why  Nephi  didn't 
say  "hear  his  words."  Now  I  know  that 
one  doesn't  hear  them  with  his  ears, 
as  Brother  Romney  said.  But  into  a 
person's  mind  there  come  words.  These 
seem  to  be  his  own  words,  but  with  the 
Spirit  upon  him,  are  not  his  words. 
With  these  words  comes  a  feeling.  One 
actually  feels  the  words,  just  as  Nephi 
said.  These  brothers  had  lost  that  feel- 
ing, and  therefore  could  not  detect 
words  given  by  the  Spirit  as  apart  from 
their  own  thoughts. 

This  "feeling"  comes  to  all  who  will 
hear.  One's  first  experience  in  this 
likely  is  akin  to  those  of  all  converts  to 
the   Church   when   they   read  what 


ELDER  FRANKLIN  D.  RICHARDS 


117 


Moroni  said.  He  told  them  that  after 
they  had  heard  these  things,  if  they 
would  ask  God  they  would  know  of 
their  truth.  (Moroni  10:4.)  I  believe 
that  James  was  referring  to  this  funda- 
mental truth  when  he  wrote  these 
words,  "If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom,  let 
him  ask  of  God,  .  .  ."  (James  1:5.)  The 
Prophet  Joseph,  reading,  was  impressed 
to  go  to  the  woods  and  pray.  Anybody 
who  cannot  learn  to  hear  by  feeling 
will  not  go  very  far  in  the  Church,  in 
my  humble  opinion,  for  I  believe  that 
to  be  the  way  the  majority  of  us  know 
if  these  things  are  true. 

By  that  Spirit  which  whispers  in  my 
soul,  and  which  I  feel  with  my  heart 
and  my  feelings  at  the  same  time,  the 
knowledge  of  which  rings  constantly  in 
my  whole  being,  I  know  that  Joseph 
Smith  received  many  of  his  revelations 
by  that  means.  By  that  whispered  feel- 
ing, too,  I  know  that  he  was  a  prophet 
of  the  Living  God  and  that  President 
McKay  is  likewise  a  prophet  of  the 
Living  God.  I  would  ask  only  one 
thing,  that  each  of  us  as  we  leave  this 
conference  ask  ourselves  if  during  any 
of  these  meetings,  we  felt  in  our  hearts 
the  whispering,  and  had  the  words  form 
into  our  minds  as  the  whispering  be- 
came feeling,  and  the  message  came 
clearly  into  our  minds  that  the  speaker 


has  spoken  truly.  "That  is  true  doc- 
trine. He  is  speaking  truth  to  us,"  it 
tries  to  say. 

To  me  this  conference  has  been  filled 
with  that  type  of  thing.  I  am  proud 
to  be  a  member  of  the  Church.  I  am 
delighted  to  have  the  opportunity  of 
bearing  my  testimony  that  I  know  these 
things  are  true,  and  I  do  it  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

The  Choir  and  congregation  will  now 
sing,  "O  Say,  What  Is  Truth?"  You 
have  just  listened  to  Elder  S.  Dilworth 
Young  of  the  First  Council  of  Seventy. 
Elder  Jay  E.  Welch,  Assistant  Choir 
Leader,  will  lead  us  as  we  join  in  sing- 
ing, "O  Say,  What  Is  Truth?"  and  we 
shall  hear  from  Elder  Franklin  D. 
Richards  following  that  song. 

The  Choir  and  congregation  joined 
in  singing  the  hymn,  "O  Say,  What  Is 
Truth?" 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Elder  Franklin  D.  Richards,  Assistant 
to  the  Twelve,  will  be  our  next  speaker. 
He  will  be  followed  by  Elder  Theodore 
M.  Burton. 


ELDER  FRANKLIN  DEWEY  RICHARDS 

Assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


President  McKay,  President  Moyle,  Pres- 
ident Brown,  President  Smith,  and  all 
of  you  wonderful  brothers  and  sisters 
and  friends,  I  approach  this  responsibil- 
ity and  assignment  with  a  humble 
heart,  and  I  pray  that  our  Father  in 
heaven  will  bless  me  with  his  Spirit  that 
I  might  be  able  to  say  something  that 
will  be  helpful  in  building  the  kingdom 
of  God. 

At  the  last  conference,  I  spoke  to  you 
about  the  amazing  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  the  Church.  At  that  time  I 
suggested  that  each  of  you  accept  Presi- 
dent McKay's  challenge  that  every 
member  be  a  missionary.  To  do  this  I 
proposed  that  we  ask  our  friends  and 
neighbors  the  two  golden  questions, 


"What  do  you  know  about  the  Mormon 
Church?"  and  "Would  you  like  to  know 
more?" 


It  is  apparent  that  many  have  been 
asking  these  questions.  Are  you  one 
of  them? 


As  a  supervisor  of  the  eight  eastern 
American  missions,  I  have  spent  a  large 
part  of  the  time  since  the  last  conference 
in  those  missions,  and  I  bring  to  you  the 
affectionate  greetings  and  love  of  the 
mission  presidents,  the  missionaries,  and 
the  Saints.  I  am  happy  to  make  this 
brief  report: 

First,  that  convert  baptisms  are  nearly 
three  times  those  of  a  year  ago,  that 
means  approximately  1,100  each  month, 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


118 

Sunday,  October  1 

or  as  translated  into  new  stakes,  roughly 
six  new  stakes  each  year. 

Secondly,  chapels  and  church  build- 
ings are  being  built  in  large  numbers. 
Just  as  an  example,  Sister  Richards  and 
I  came  back  a  short  time  ago  from  the 
Canadian  Mission,  and  in  that  mission 
during  the  first  seven  months  of  this 
year,  six  chapels  have  been  completed 
and  are  occupied,  and  seven  more  are 
either  under  construction  or  in  the  late 
planning  stage. 

Third,  new  stakes  are  being  organized. 
Two  have  recently  been  organized  in 
North  Carolina  and  within  the  area 
covered  by  the  eight  eastern  American 
missions,  it  is  likely  that  eight  more 
stakes  will  be  ready  for  organization 
during  the  next  twelve  months. 

This  pattern  of  accelerated  growth 
and  development  of  the  Church,  as  you 
can  see,  is  going  on  throughout  the 
entire  world.  Many  have  asked  why 
this  growth  is  taking  place.  Prophecy 
is  being  fulfilled,  my  brothers  and  sisters, 
and  the  Lord  is  pouring  out  his  Spirit 
upon  all  flesh.  I  can  notice  the  difference 
in  just  the  last  few  months. 

In  a  vision  manifested  to  Joseph  Smith 
the  Prophet  and  Oliver  Cowdery,  the 
heavens  were  opened,  and  Moses  ap- 
peared and  committed  unto  them  the 
keys  of  the  gathering  of  Israel  from  the 
four  quarters  of  the  earth.  I  bear 
witness  to  you  that  this,  the  Dispen- 
sation of  the  Fulness  of  Times,  is 
indeed  the  time  of  gathering. 

When  the  Angel  Moroni  first  visited 
the  Prophet  Joseph,  he  quoted  from  the 
second  chapter  of  Joel:  "And  it  shall 
come  to  pass  afterward,  that  I  will  pour 
out  my  spirit  upon  all  flesh."  (See 
Joseph  Smith  2:41;  Joel  2:28.)  Moroni 
told  the  Prophet  that  this  was  not  yet 
fulfilled  but  would  be  soon.  I  am  con- 
fident, my  brothers  and  sisters,  that  this 
prophecy  is  now  being  fulfilled. 

The  Lord  has  told  us,  "And  ye  are 
called  to  bring  to  pass  the  gathering  of 
mine  elect;  for  mine  elect  hear  my  voice 
and  harden  not  their  hearts."  (D&C 
29:7.) 

As  the  Savior  instructed:  "Go  ye  into 
all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature. 

"He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized 
shall  be  saved;  but  he  that  believeth 


Third  Day 

not  shall  be  damned."  (Mark  16:15-16.) 

So  we  in  this  dispensation  have  also 
been  instructed.  These  prophecies  are 
being  fulfilled  in  this  great  growth  of 
the  Church.  Baptism  is  necessary  to 
enter  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  to  us  of 
this  dispensation  the  Lord  has  given  the 
assignment  to  baptize  his  elect.  Today 
we  have  the  counsel  of  our  President 
and  Prophet  David  O.  McKay  that 
"every  member  should  be  a  missionary," 
in  order  to  bring  more  souls  into  the 
kingdom  of  God.  We  sustained  our 
President  wholeheartedly  and  seek  to 
follow  his  counsel. 

So  every  man,  woman,  and  child 
wants  to  know  how  they  can  fulfill  their 
assignment  to  be  a  missionary. 

First,  each  one  of  us  must  live  the 
gospel;  then  we  should  invite  our  non- 
member  friends  to  attend  our  Church 
meetings  and  functions  with  us;  also, 
find  people  who  want  to  know  more 
about  the  Church  and  the  best  way  to 
do  this  is  to  ask  the  "golden  questions," 
— 'What  do  you  know  about  the  Mor- 
mon Church?"  and  "Would  you  like 
to  know  more?" 

Those  that  say  "Yes,"  should  be 
invited  into  group  meetings  in  the  mem- 
bers' homes  to  hear  the  missionaries 
discuss  the  principles  of  the  gospel. 
Where  this  is  not  possible,  the  person 
should  be  referred  to  the  missionaries 
to  contact. 

Asking  these  two  questions  is  a  sifting 
process,  finding  the  elect,  those  that 
want  to  know  more  about  the  Church. 

In  Charlottesville,  Virginia,  as  an  ex- 
ample, one  of  our  good  sisters  who 
worked  at  a  bakery  decided  to  ask  the 
five  women  she  was  working  with  the 
golden  questions,  and  all  of  them  said 
they  would  like  to  know  more  about 
the  Church.  She  invited  them  to  a 
series  of  group  meetings  in  her  home  to 
hear  the  missionaries,  and  four  of  the 
five  women  gained  a  testimony  and  were 
baptized  into  the  Church. 

The  full-time,  stake,  and  district  mis- 
sionaries will  work  with  you,  with  the 
special  assignment  to  teach  the  gospel. 
All  the  missionaries  throughout  the 
Church  are  using  the  simple,  uniform 
plan.  This  program  assists  them  in 
developing  greater  spirituality,  the  atti- 
tude of  success,  and  a  good  knowledge 


ELDER  FRANKLIN  D.  RICHARDS 


119 


of  the  gospel  and  the  teaching  plan. 
Through  this  preparation,  missionaries 
are  endowed  with  great  power. 

Heretofore  a  large  part  of  the  mission- 
ary's time  has  been  spent  in  finding 
people  to  teach.  Now  more  of  the 
missionary's  time  is  being  spent  in 
teaching  because  the  members  are  find- 
ing those  that  are  interested  and  in 
many  instances  bringing  them  together 
into  groups  to  be  taught  by  the  mission- 
ary. This  method  is  bringing  into  the 
Church  many  more  converts. 

Everything  is  being  done  to  make  the 
work  of  the  missionaries  more  efficient 
and  effective.  The  use  of  the  telephone 
in  tracting  and  to  follow  up  referrals  is 
a  real  effective,  modern  proselyting  de- 
vice. The  use  of  cars,  in  many  instances, 
is  also  a  great  time-saver.  Home  nights 
to  permit  groups  to  get  acquainted  with 
the  Church  and  for  missionaries  to  make 
contacts  with  nonmembers  is  likewise 
an  effective  tool. 

We  are  just  starting  on  a  comparatively 
new  approach.  This  involves  an  advertis- 
ing and  direct  mail  program,  a  new  type 
of  tracting,  so  to  speak.  Our  advertise- 
ments and  letters  will  provide  a  coupon 
or  a  card  to  be  returned  to  us,  requesting 
missionaries  to  call  or  a  home-study 
course  to  be  sent. 

We  have  adapted  the  uniform  mis- 
sionary teaching  plan  to  a  home-study 
course.  Many  who  study  the  gospel  in 
this  manner  will  undoubtedly  later  want 
missionary  visits.  Through  advertise- 
ments and  through  the  mail,  we  will 
reach  many  that  we  are  not  able  to 
reach  by  our  present  methods.  Baptisms 
from  this  source  of  referrals  are  already 
being  reported. 

Many  people  refer  to  our  present 
missionary  plan  as  a  "new  plan,"  but 
it  really  is  not  Examining  the  prose- 
lyting methods  of  the  apostles  and  the 
disciples  at  the  time  of  Christ  and  in 
the  early  days  of  the  Church  in  our  time, 
we  find  that  the  methods  used  today 
are  very  similar.  One  of  the  most 
remarkable  examples  was  Peter's  sermon 
to  the  people  on  the  day  of  Pentecost, 
the  result  of  which  is  recorded  in  the 
second  chapter  of  Acts,  and  the  41st 
verse  as  follows: 

"Then  they  that  gladly  received  his 
word  were  baptized:  and  the  same  day 


there  were  added  unto  them  about  three 
thousand  souls."  (Acts  2:41.) 

The  autobiography  of  Parley  P.  Pratt 
tells  us  of  his  meeting  John  Taylor, 
whose  name  was  given  to  him  as  a 
referral.  Parley  P.  Pratt  used  group 
meetings  most  effectively.  His  experience 
in  New  York  City  is  related  as  follows: 

"While  I  preached,  a  lady  solicited 
me  to  preach  in  her  house  in  Willett 
Street,  for  she  said,  'I  had  a  dream  of 
you  and  of  the  new  church  the  other 
night.'  Another  lady  wished  me  to 
preach  in  her  house  in  Grant  Street. 
In  the  meantime  I  was  invited  by  the 
Free  Thinkers  to  preach  or  give  a  course 
of  lectures  in  Tammany  Hall.  In  short, 
it  was  not  three  weeks  .  .  .  till  we  had 
fifteen  preaching  places  in  the  city,  all 
of  which  were  filled  to  overflowing.  We 
preached  about  eleven  times  a  week 
besides  visiting  from  house  to  house. 
We  soon  commenced  baptising  and 
continued  baptizing  almost  every  day 
during  the  winter  and  spring."  (P.  170 
1950  Ed.) 

Our  missionary  program  is  based  on 
declaring  repentance  and  baptism.  Our 
missionaries  know  that  baptism  is  es- 
sential, and  they  are  baptism  conscious. 
The  Lord  has  given  us  a  list  of  qualifi- 
cations necessary  for  baptism,  and  this  is 
in  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants,  section 
20.  Missionaries  are  instructed  to  see 
that  these  qualifications  are  met.  This 
is  not  a  day  for  compromising  standards. 

After  baptism  our  responsibility  is  to 
fellowship  the  new  converts.  There  will 
be  little  falling  away  as  we  "love"  these 
good  people  into  the  Church  and  give 
them  an  opportunity  to  serve. 

Brothers  and  sisters,  God  the  Father 
and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  did  appear  to 
the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith.  The  fulness 
of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  has  been 
restored  to  this  earth.  The  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ  with  the  authority  to  act 
in  his  name  is  on  the  earth.  This  is 
the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day 
Saints.  We  need  a  prophet  today,  and 
we  have  a  prophet — President  David 
O.  McKay. 

I  bear  witness  to  you  that  these  things 
are  true. 

Remember  the  scriptures.  "For  behold, 
the  field  is  white  already  to  harvest; 


120 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Sunday,  October  1 

and  it  is  the  eleventh  hour,  and  the  last 
time  that  I  shall  call  laborers  into  my 
vineyard."  (D&C  33:3.)  And  remember 
President  McKay's  admonition,  "Every 
member  a  missionary."  The  challenge 
is  for  each  of  us  to  be  a  missionary. 
This  means  for  each  of  us  to  bring  a 
convert  into  the  Church  this  year.  Let 
us  make  this  our  goal  and  may  the  Lord 


Third  Day 

make  us  equal  to  the  task,  I  pray  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

We  have  just  listened  to  Elder  Frank- 
lin D.  Richards,  Assistant  to  the  Twelve. 
Elder  Theodore  M.  Burton,  Assistant  to 
the  Twelve,  will  now  address  us. 


ELDER  THEODORE  MOYLE  BURTON 

Assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 


My  brothers  and  sisters,  I  am  most 
grateful  for  this  past  year.  It  has  been 
a  marvelous  year  to  have  spent  in  asso- 
ciation with  these,  my  brethren.  I  have 
had  my  eyes  opened.  I  have  learned 
many  things.  It  has  also  been  a  tre- 
mendous blessing  to  me  to  be  able  to 
travel  among  the  stakes  and  missions 
of  the  Church  and  see  what  wonderful 
strength  and  leadership  we  have  where- 
ever  I  travel. 

I  have  been  greatly  impressed  by  the 
strength  of  the  Church,  for  I  feel  the 
strength  of  the  Church  is  in  the  hearts 
of  our  people  who  are  willing  to  serve 
and  to  sacrifice  because  of  the  testi- 
mony they  have  in  their  hearts  that 
this  is  the  truth. 

Now,  as  a  missionary,  how  can  I 
teach  the  things  that  are  in  my  heart  to 
you,  the  people?  How  can  I  strengthen 
the  Saints  and  teach  those  who  are  not 
yet  members  of  the  Church?  How  can 
I  give  confidence  to  them  that  God  does 
live  and  that  he  does  speak  in  this 
generation? 

Perhaps  I  can  illustrate  this  by  talk- 
ing for  a  moment  about  some  of  the 
problems  of  translation.  When  I 
worked  for  the  United  States  govern- 
ment in  the  foreign  agency  service  of 
the  Treasury  Department,  it  was  my 
duty  to  translate  some  of  the  customs 
laws  from  the  German  into  the  English 
language.  I  soon  learned  that  a  man 
in  order  to  translate  has  to  know  much 
more  than  just  the  words  of  the  lan- 
guage. I  found  that  a  translator  must 
give  a  message,  not  just  a  literal  transla- 
tion of  the  subject  word  for  word. 

I  found  that  sentences  mean  much 
more  than  words.    I  found  that  para- 


graphs are  much  more  important  than 
sentences,  and  I  found  that  the  treatise 
as  a  whole  must  make  sense.  Other- 
wise, the  translation  is  not  good.  Words 
have  many  different  meanings,  and  the 
meanings  of  these  words  depend  upon 
their  usage.  The  context  in  which  they 
are  used  becomes  extremely  important. 

Let  us  take  as  a  simple  example  the 
word,  corn.  It  is  a  simple  English  word, 
but  if  you  were  to  translate  this  into 
another  language,  you  would  have  to 
understand  some  of  its  many  meanings. 
Corn  would  mean  maize  to  the  Indian. 
It  would  mean  grain  to  the  Britisher.  It 
would  mean  whiskey  to  the  moonshiner. 
It  would  mean  to  granulate  to  the 
chemist  or  to  the  munitions  manu- 
facturer. It  would  mean  to  preserve 
to  the  housewife.  It  would  mean  to 
plant  to  the  farmer.  It  would  mean 
a  horny  skin  growth  to  the  doctor  of 
medicine. 

So,  if  you  were  to  translate  that  word, 
you  would  have  to  know  how  it  was 
used.  Thus  a  translator  must  under- 
stand the  meaning  of  the  information  he 
is  to  present;  otherwise,  his  translation 
is  impossible.  So,  if  he  is  to  translate, 
he  must  become  an  authority  in  other 
fields  much  more  than  just  an  authority 
in  the  language  with  which  he  is  work- 
ing. He  must  understand  something 
about  the  subject  being  translated. 

Let  us  look  now  at  the  problem  of 
translating  the  Bible,  particularly  in 
the  Old  Testament.  Not  only  must  the 
translator  know  English,  he  must  also 
know  Hebrew.  He  must  know  what 
the  Hebrew  says,  and  then  he  must 
put  that  understanding^  into  the  Eng- 
lish language. 


ELDER  THEODORE  M.  BURTON 


121 


In  the  Old  Testament  there  are  sev- 
eral Hebrew  words,  "ro'eh,"  "hozeh," 
and  "nabhf,"  all  of  which  are  translated 
by  the  translators  as  prophet.  The  first 
two,  almost  synonymous,  from  the  roots 
"ra'ah"  and  "hazah,"  both  meaning  to 
see  suggest  the  man  of  vision  and  should 
be  properly  rendered  as  seer.  The  term 
"nabhi' "  from  the  root  "nabha"  means 
to  announce.  But  if  the  translator  felt 
that  to  see  and  to  announce  are  synony- 
mous and  that  they  refer  to  the  same 
thing,  then  he  would  so  use  them.  Thus 
we  find  that  all  of  these  words  were 
used  and  translated  as  prophet  and 
sometimes  the  word  seer  was  used  where 
prophet  should  have  been  used,  and 
sometimes  the  word  prophet  was  used 
where  seer  should  have  been  used.  Con- 
fusion resulted  therefrom,  because  the 
translators  did  not  understand  that 
these  two  words  seer  and  prophet  mean 
different  things;  that  they  have  different 
usages. 

There  is  a  great  difference  between 
these  words,  because  a  seer  is  greater 
than  a  prophet.  King  Limhi,  in  speak- 
ing to  the  missionary,  Amnion,  said, 
"...  a  seer  is  greater  than  a  prophet." 
Then  Ammon  explained  why.  He  said, 
"...  a  seer  is  a  revelator  and  a  prophet 
also;  and  a  gift  which  is  greater  can  no 
man  have,  except  he  should  possess  the 
power  of  God,  which  no  man  can;  yet 
a  man  may  have  great  power  given  him 
from  God. 

"But  a  seer  can  know  of  things  which 
are  past,  and  also  things  which  are  to 
come,  and  by  them  shall  all  things  be 
revealed,  or,  rather,  shall  secret  things  be 
made  manifest,  and  hidden  things  shall 
come  to  light,  and  things  which  are  not 
known  shall  be  made  known  by  them, 
and  also  things  shall  be  made  known 
by  them  which  otherwise  could  not  be 
known."  (Mosiah  8:16-17.) 

Life  for  the  ordinary  man  is  oftimes 
frightening  and  bewildering.  There  is 
so  much  that  we  mortals  fear.  There 
is  so  much  that  we  do  not  understand. 
There  is  so  much  that  we  do  not  know. 
When  we  talk  of  knowing,  we  talk  of 
knowledge,  and  it  would  be  well  to  ask 
ourselves  what  we  mean  by  "knowl- 
edge." Knowledge  is  only  our  inter- 
pretation of  the  evidence  before  us.  If 
our  interpretation  of  the  evidence  is 


wrong,  our  knowledge  is  false. 

Sometimes,  therefore,  we  make  grave 
errors,  for  our  interpretation  of  the 
evidence  is  wrong.  What  a  shock  it  is 
for  us  to  realize  that  what  we  once 
thought  we  knew — is  wrong!  This  has 
occurred  many  times  in  the  history  of 
the  earth.  Why,  the  evidence  was  so 
plain  to  those  who  stated  that  the  earth 
was  flat,  that  when  anyone  mentioned 
that  the  earth  is  round,  it  was  a  ridic- 
ulous thing,  and  the  people  just  laughed 
at  the  idea.  Yet  by  the  evidence  we 
have  today  we  interpret  this  to  mean 
that  the  earth  is  round,  and  we  claim 
that  previous  persons  just  didn't  under- 
stand the  evidence  presented  to  them. 

The  same  thing  is  true  when  we 
talked  about  the  sun  revolving  around 
the  earth.  Why,  any  man  with  eyes 
to  see  could  actually  see  the  sun  re- 
volving around  the  earth!  Yet  our 
interpretation  of  the  evidence  today  is 
just  the  reverse  of  this.  So,  what  we  say 
we  know  is  not  always  true. 

What  then  can  a  person  cling  to? 
Youth  lacks  experience,  and  older  people 
jump  at  conclusions  also.  Knowledge 
is  often  based  on  too  little  evidence, 
either  by  the  young  or  by  the  old. 
Thus,  young  and  old,  when  they  have 
found  themselves  questioning,  become 
skeptical,  and  they  begin  to  question 
and  doubt  everything  and  have  confi- 
dence in  nothing. 

Now  to  what  can  a  man  turn?  In 
what  can  he  place  reliance?  In  whom 
can  we  put  our  confidence,  our  trust? 
Now  remember,  Ammon  said  a  seer  is 
greater  than  a  prophet.  Before  he  made 
this  statement  he  had  said  "...  I  can 
assuredly  tell  thee,  O  king,  of  a  man 
that  can  translate  the  records;  for  he 
has  wherewith  that  he  can  look,  and 
translate  all  records  that  are  of  ancient 
date;  and  it  is  a  gift  from  God.  And  the 
things  are  called  interpreters,  and  no 
man  can  look  in  them  except  he  be 
commanded,  lest  he  should  look  for 
that  he  ought  not  and  he  should  perish. 
And  whosoever  is  commanded  to  look 
in  them,  the  same  is  called  seer." 
(Ibid.,  8:13.) 

Thus  one  can  trust  a  seer  because 
a  seer  may  see  the  heavens  open.  He 
may  see  the  great  vision  of  God  working 
in  all  his  majesty.    He  may  see  the 


122 

Sunday,  October  1 

fulness  of  truth  as  it  is  revealed  to  him 
by  God  who  makes  no  mistakes.  The 
evidence  is  clear,  therefore,  and  the  in- 
terpretation is  clear.  The  seer  can  bear 
personal  testimony,  not  based  on  books, 
not  based  on  scholarship,  not  based  on 
tradition,  but  based  on  the  evidence  of 
things  that  God  himself  can  reveal  to 
him  in  an  actual  experience  with  Deity. 
He  may  receive  a  revelation  from  God 
by  actually  seeing  and  hearing  and 
being  instructed  in  the  real  truth. 

A  seer  then  is  one  who  may  see  God, 
who  may  talk  with  God,  who  may  re- 
ceive personal  instruction  from  God. 
Our  prophet  is  a  seer  and  a  revelator.  I 
do  not  know  who  originally  taught  the 
doctrine.  I  was  told  once  that  it  was 
taught  by  President  Heber  J.  Grant, 
but  I  was  taught  this  doctrine  by  Elder 
Marion  G.  Romney,  who  told  me  that 
the  Lord  will  never  let  his  prophet, 
the  seer,  lead  his  people  astray.  Men  in 
all  ranks  on  this  earth  and  in  the 
Church  have  fallen  from  grace,  but  the 
Lord  will  never  permit  the  great 
prophet,  our  seer,  and  revelator,  to  fall 
or  to  lead  the  people  astray.  Before  this 
could  happen  God  must  of  necessity 
remove  that  man  from  the  earth. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Third  Day 

There  must  be  someone  to  whom  the 
people  can  turn  and  trust,  who  can 
speak  for  God.  God  must  have  someone 
on  earth  who  can  point  the  way  and 
say,  "This  is  true."  How  grateful,  my 
brothers  and  sisters,  we  should  be  that 
God  in  the  fulness  of  his  grace  has  given 
us  a  living  prophet  to  guide  us  to  Him; 
even  more  that  God  has  given  us  a  seer, 
for  this  seer  and  prophet  reveals  per- 
sonal testimony  to  young  and  old  alike 
that  Jesus  is  in  very  deed  the  risen 
Savior,  the  Living  God. 

Of  this  I  bear  sacred  testimony,  for 
under  conditions  too  sacred  to  mention 
here  God  has  given  me  witness  three 
times  in  the  temples  that  David  O. 
McKay  is  truly  and  indeed  a  prophet  of 
God,  a  seer,  and  I  bear  you  this  testi- 
mony that  you  can  trust  him  and  so 
put  your  whole  faith  in  Jesus  Christ. 
We  must  turn  from  anything  which 
tears  us  away  from  God  our  Father  and 
turn  to  that  which  will  lead  us  to  him 
through  repentance,  through  our  de- 
termination and  through  our  absolute 
will  to  do  the  work  of  God. 

I  bear  you  this  testimony  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 


PRESIDENT  DAVID  O.  McKAY 


The  singing,  as  you  know,  for  this 
afternoon  and  this  morning  has  been 
furnished  by  the  members  of  the  Taber- 
nacle Choir.  We  have  been  inspired 
with  their  singing.  I  think  it  would  be 
fitting  at  this  moment  to  represent  you 
as  well  as  the  General  Authorities  in 
saying  just  a  word,  at  least,  of  appre- 
ciation of  the  services  rendered  by  many 
during  this  three- day  conference  in 
making  this  inspirational  gathering  so 
meaningful: 

First,  to  the  General  Authorities,  we 
express  deep  appreciation  for  the  in- 
spirational messages  they  have  given  to 
us.  Second,  to  the  public  press,  the  re- 
porters, for  their  fair  and  accurate 
reports  throughout  the  sessions  of  the 
conference.  Third,  to  the  city  officials, 
the  city  traffic  officers  in  handling  in- 
creased traffic,  etc.;  members  of  the 
fire  department,  some  of  whom  you 
met  after  one  or  two  of  these  sessions; 


and  to  the  Red  Cross  representatives 
who  have  been  on  hand  to  render  any 
assistance  and  service  that  might  be 
needed.  To  the  Tabernacle  ushers  who 
have  rendered  service  in  seating  the 
great  audiences  of  these  conference  ses- 
sions. Quietly  and  unobtrusively  they 
have  looked  after  your  convenience  and 
welfare. 

We  have  already  expressed,  and  we 
do  so  again,  appreciation  to  the  radio 
and  television  stations  throughout  our 
own  city  and  the  nation  who  all 
through  the  three  days  have  carried  the 
proceedings  of  these  inspirational  ses- 
sions. These  stations  have  been  the 
means  of  permitting  untold  thousands 
of  persons  to  hear  the  proceedings  of 
the  one  hundred  thirty-first  semiannual 
conference. 

We  appreciate  especially  those  who 
have  furnished  the  singing  throughout 
this  conference.    Let  me  remind  you 


PRESIDENT  Di 

again,  as  you  enjoy  the  service  they  have 
rendered:  first,  the  Relief  Society  Sing- 
ing Mothers  from  the  Central  Utah  and 
Mt.  Timpanogos  regions,  who  rendered 
service  faithfully  for  two  days  with  the 
Relief  Society  sisters  before  they  joined 
us  Friday  morning.  Sister  Florence 
Jepperson  Madsen  conducted.  Next,  the 
University  of  Utah  Mixed  Chorus  for 
the  Saturday  morning  session,  with 
Ardean  W.  Watts  conducting.  The 
University  of  Utah  Institute  of  Religion, 
University  Stake  Chorus,  and  the 
Bonneville  Strings,  furnished  the  music 
for  the  Saturday  afternoon  session,  with 
Elder  David  Austin  Shand  conducting. 

Third,  the  Tabernacle  Choir  Men's 
Chorus  last  night.  How  inspiring  that 
group  was!  Fourth,  last,  but  certainly 
not  least,  the  Tabernacle  Choir,  who 
furnished  the  music  this  morning  and 
this  afternoon,  with  Elder  Richard  P. 
Condie  and  Elder  Jay  E.  Welch  con- 
ducting, and  how  they  have  thrilled 
not  only  this  nation,  but  also  people  in 
other  countries,  wherever  they  have 
been.  Our  best  wishes  and  prayers  go 
with  them  in  their  prospective  tour,  for 
they  will  receive  a  welcome  wherever 
they  go.  God  bless  them,  and  all 
officials  connected  with  that  great 
organization. 

We  mention  again  these  beautiful 
antheriums  from  Oahu  Stake. 

Indeed,  we  thank  all  those  who  have 
contributed  in  any  way  to  the  success 
and  inspiration  of  this  great  conference. 

Carlyle  said:  "There  is  one  godlike 
virtue,  the  essence  of  all  that  ever  was 
or  ever  will  be  of  godlike  in  this  world — 
the  veneration  done  to  human  worth  by 
the  hearts  of  men."  During  the  last  few 
days  especially,  and  frequently  in  the 
position  which  General  Authorities  oc- 
cupy, we  have  occasion  to  ask  men  and 
women  to  accept  certain  positions  and 
to  devote  their  time  and  their  means 
to  the  work  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 

Recently  I  have  seen  men's  hearts 
touched,  tears  roll  down  their  cheeks, 
as  they  were  surprised  to  hear  a  request 
of  the  General  Authorities  to  accept 
some  responsibility  or  be  called  in  some 
other  position.  Without  exception,  no 
matter  what  sacrifice  they  had  to  make 
financially,  no  matter  how  unable  they 
feel  themselves  to  fill  the  position,  each 


/ID  O.  McKAY  123 

one  has  said,  "Yes,  if  that  is  what  the 
Church  wants,  I  will  do  it." 

Frequently  we  hear  reports  from 
wards  and  branches  of  efforts  the  peo- 
ple put  forth  to  contribute,  perhaps  to 
the  erection  of  a  building,  perhaps  to 
renovate,  or  to  build  an  addition  to 
a  present  building.  They  see  that  two, 
three,  four,  sometimes  six  or  seven 
groups — wards  or  branches — have  to 
meet  in  one  building,  and  they  feel  the 
necessity  of  contributing  of  their  means. 
And  what  those  members  of  the  Church, 
unknown  beyond  the  borders  of  their 
branch  or  ward,  do  to  make  more  effec- 
tive conditions  to  preach  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ! 

I  wish  all  the  world  could  glimpse 
the  willingness  of  those  people,  the  sac- 
rifices they  have  to  make.  I  think  it 
would  preach  the  gospel  more  effectively 
than  any  one  other  thing  we  could  do. 
I  recall  just  a  few  years  ago  of  visiting 
a  stake  and  dedicating  their  meeting- 
house. I  learned  of  the  struggles  they 
had  in  order  to  finish  paying  for  that 
building.  None  of  our  chapels  are  dedi- 
cated until  they  are  free  from  debt.  That 
means  that  millions  of  dollars  have  been 
spent  in  the  erection  of  stake  houses 
and  ward  buildings  throughout  the  336 
stakes  and  sixty-seven  missions. 

That  meetinghouse  had  just  been  paid 
for  about  a  week  before  the  dedicatory 
services  were  held.  The  bishop  had  to 
call  for  an  extra  contribution,  and  a 
young  boy  who  earned  his  money  by 
washing  cars,  polishing  shoes,  and  doing 
little  odd  jobs,  had  quite  a  little  sum 
of  money,  for  a  boy,  in  the  bank.  I 
received  this  information  from  the 
banker  himself  who  was  an  officer  in 
the  stake.  I  do  not  know  whether  the 
father  had  contributed  much  to  the 
chapel.  I  had  my  own  thoughts,  but 
when  the  bishop  made  an  extra  call  for 
money  this  boy  went  to  the  bank  and 
asked  the  banker,  "How  much  have  I  in 
the  bank?"  He  told  him,  and  I  think  it 
was  something  near  one  hundred  dol- 
lars. Sister  McKay,  who  knew  about  the 
circumstances,  says  it  was  near  a  hun- 
dred. The  boy  said,  "Well,  I  shall  take 
ten  dollars,  and  you  give  the  rest  to  the 
bishop  to  finish  paying  on  this  meeting- 
house." 


124 

Sunday,  October  I 

"Oh,  but  you  can't  afford  that,"  said 
the  banker. 

"Yes,  I  can,"  and  he  took  ten  dollars 
for  himself  and  gave  the  balance  to 
the  bishop. 

What  a  lessonl  I  think  I  told  that 
afterwards  when  I  went  back  to  the 
stake,  and  the  young  boy  was  then  on 
a  mission.  I  cite  this  incident  merely 
as  an  illustration  of  the  loyalty  and  faith 
of  the  membership  of  the  Church.  I 
appreciate  these  acts,  and  because  of 
them,  in  our  hearts  there  will  be  a  love 
for  one  another,  which  is  the  Spirit  of 
the  Christ,  the  spirit  of  brotherhood,  the 
spirit  of  love. 

I  am  a  great  believer  in  the  doctrine 
of  James.  He  was  a  practical  man  in 
the  early  Church.  Paul  preached  faith; 
James  preached  works,  and  it  was  James 
who  said,  ".  .  .  shew  me  thy  faith  with- 
out thy  works,  and  I  will  shew  thee  my 
faith  by  my  works."  (James  2:18.) 

"What  doth  it  profit,  my  brethren, 
though  a  man  say  he  hath  faith,  and 
have  not  works?  can  faith  save  him? 

"If  a  brother  or  sister  be  naked,  and 
destitute  of  daily  food, 

"And  one  of  you  say  unto  them,  De- 
part in  peace,  be  ye  warmed  and  filled; 
notwithstanding  ye  give  them  not  those 
things  which  are  needful  to  the  body; 
what  doth  it  profit? 

"Even  so  faith,  if  it  hath  not  works, 
is  dead,  being  alone. 

"Yea,  a  man  may  say,  Thou  hast 
faith,  and  I  have  works:  shew  me  thy 
faith  without  thy  works,  and  I  will 
shew  thee  my  faith  by  my  works." 
(Ibid.,  2:14-18.) 

Throughout  this  conference  emphasis 
has  frequently  been  made  by  the 
speakers  to  the  great  responsibility  rest- 
ing upon  the  membership  of  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  to 
declare  to  the  world  that  God  lives;  that 
Jesus  Christ,  his  Son,  is  our  Savior;  that 
his  is  the  only  name  ".  .  .  under  heaven 
given  among  men,  whereby  we  must  be 
saved."  (Acts  4:12.)  It  was  said  at  the 
opening  of  this  conference  that  there 
are  men  and  women  who  are  now  forty 
to  fifty  years  old  who  have  heard  all 
their  lives  that  God  does  not  exist;  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  a  myth.  You  have  heard 
the  testimony  from  men  with  tears  in 
their  eyes,  if  you  were  close  enough  to 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 


Third  Day 

see,  their  lips  quivering  with  emotion, 
testify  that  they  know  that  God  lives, 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  and  that  they 
appeared  to  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith 
and  gave  instructions  about  organizing 
his  Church,  and  that  Peter,  James,  and 
John,  who  held  the  authority  from  the 
Christ  himself,  gave  that  authority  in 
this  dispensation;  that  the  Melchizedek 
Priesthood  was  bestowed  upon  the 
Prophet  and  Oliver  Cowdery;  that  John 
the  Baptist  who  baptized  Jesus  Christ 
bestowed  the  Aaronic  Priesthood,  a  di- 
rect successor  of  the  authority  from 
heaven. 

Now  you  know  that.  You  know  these 
men.  I  give  you  my  testimony  that  God 
lives;  that  he  is  close  to  us;  that  his 
spirit  is  real,  that  his  voice  is  real;  that 
Jesus  Christ,  his  Son,  stands  at  the  head 
of  this  great  work;  and  no  matter  how 
much  the  atheistic  philosophy  takes 
hold  of  blinded  boys  and  girls  and  men 
who  hear  Satan's  voice,  the  truth  stands 
as  declared  by  the  Father  and  the  Son 
to  that  boy  Prophet.  You  and  I  and 
all  the  members  of  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  have  the 
responsibility  to  declare  that  truth  to 
the  world,  and  the  world  is  full  of 
honest  men  and  women  waiting  to  hear 
that  truth.  Let  us  not  condemn  them. 
Condemn  the  evil  men  who  would  blind 
them  with  their  sophistry  and  with  false 
reasoning.  Some  of  our  young  boys  are 
so  blinded,  but  it  is  our  duty  as  officers 
of  the  Church  to  lead  them  from  that 
blindness  to  the  truth.  I  think  I  can 
repeat  here,  as  I  did  last  night,  for 
those  misguided  boys: 

"Dim  as  the  borrow'd  beams  of  moon 
and  stars 

To  lonely,  weary,  wandering  travelers, 
Is  reason  to  the  soul;  and  as  on  high 
Those  rolling  fires  discover  but  the  sky, 
Not  light  us  here,  so  Reason's  glimmer- 
ing ray 

Was  lent,  not  to  assure  our  doubtful 
way, 

But  lead  us  upward  to  a  better  day." 

— Dryden 

That  brighter  day  is  the  light  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  emanating  from  God  the 
Father,  and  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ. 

God  bless  you,  my  dear  fellow  work- 
ers, bless  you  in  your  homes.  Make  your 
faith  shown  by  your  works  in  your 


PRESIDENT  D 

home;  husbands  true  to  your  wives,  not 
only  in  act,  but  in  thought;  wives  true 
to  your  husbands,  not  only  in  act,  but 
in  thought;  children  true  to  your  par- 
ents. Do  not  arrogate  to  yourselves  that 
they  are  old-fashioned  in  their  beliefs 
and  that  you  know  more. 

Girls,  follow  that  sweet  mother  and 
her  teachings.  Boys,  be  true  to  your 
fathers  who  try  to  live  the  gospel;  then 
strangers,  seeing  such  homes,  will  say, 
"Well,  if  that  is  the  result  of  Mormon- 
ism,  I  think  it  is  good."  You  will  show 
your  faith  by  your  works  in  everyday 
life. 

God  bless  you  that  we  may  have 
power  so  to  do,  I  pray  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

President  David  O.  McKay: 

Tonight  the  Deseret  Sunday  School 
Union  will  convene  in  this  building  at 
7:00.  All  Sunday  School  workers  will 
wish  to  be  in  attendance.  The  public 
is  cordially  invited. 

The  Tabernacle  Choir  will  now  sing, 
"Still,  Still  With  Thee."  The  benedic- 
tion will  be  offered  by  President  Wil- 
liam B.  Wallis  of  the  Ashley  Stake,  and 
this  Conference  will  be  adjourned  for 
six  months. 


The  Tabernacle  Choir  sang  as  a  clos- 
ing number,  "Still,  Still  With  Thee." 

William  Budge  Wallis,  president  of 
the  Ashley  Stake,  offered  the  bene- 
diction. 

Conference  adjourned  for  six  months. 


O.  McKAY  125 


The  Relief  Society  Singing  Mothers 
from  the  Central  Utah  and  Mt. 
Timpanogos  Welfare  Regions  furnished 
the  musical  numbers  for  the  Friday 
morning  and  afternoon  sessions.  Flor- 
ence Jepperson  Madsen  was  Conductor. 

The  Musical  selections  for  the  Satur- 
day morning  session  were  furnished  by 
the  University  of  Utah  Mixed  Chorus, 
Ardean  W.  Watts,  Director. 

On  Saturday  afternoon  the  music  for 
the  session  was  furnished  by  the  Uni- 
versity of  Utah  Institute  of  Religion, 
University  Stake  Chorus,  and  the  Bonne- 
ville Strings,  David  Austin  Shand, 
Director. 

The  music  for  the  General  Priesthood 
Meeting  Saturday  evening  was  fur- 
nished by  the  Men's  Chorus  of  the 
Tabernacle  Choir,  Richard  P.  Condie, 
conductor. 

The  Tabernacle  Choir,  Richard  P. 
Condie,  conductor,  and  Jay  E.  Welch, 
assistant  conductor,  furnished  the  choral 
numbers  for  the  Sunday  morning  and 
afternoon  sessions. 

Richard  P.  Condie  directed  the  sing- 
ing of  the  Tabernacle  Choir  on  the 
Tabernacle  Choir  and  Organ  broadcast 
Sunday  morning. 

Accompaniments  and  interludes  on 
the  organ  were  played  by  Alexander 
Schreiner  and  Frank  W.  Asper.  Alex- 
ander Schreiner  officiated  at  the  organ 
at  the  Tabernacle  Choir  and  Organ 
broadcoast. 

Joseph  Anderson 
Clerk  of  the  Conference 


126 

Sunday,  October  1 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE 

SALT  LAKE  MORMON  TABERNACLE  CHOIR 
AND  ORGAN  BROADCAST 


Third  Day 


The  following  broadcast,  written  and 
announced  by  Richard  L.  Evans,  and 
originating  with  Station  KSL,  Salt  Lake 
City,  Utah  was  presented  from  8:35  to 
9:00  a.m.,  Sunday,  October  1,  1961, 
through  the  courtesy  of  Columbia 
Broadcasting  System's  network,  through- 
out the  United  States,  parts  of  Canada, 
and  through  other  facilities  to  several 
points  overseas.  The  broadcast  was  as 
follows: 

(The  organ  played  "As  The  Dew 
From  Heaven  Distilling,"  and  on  signal 
the  Choir  and  organ  broke  into  the 
hymn,  "Gently  Raise  The  Sacred 
Strain,"  singing  the  words  to  the  end  of 
the  second  line,  and  humming  to  end 
of  verse  for  announcer's  background.) 

Announcer:  Once  more  we  welcome 
you  within  these  walls  with  music  and 
the  spoken  word  from  the  Crossroads 
of  the  West. 

The  CBS  Radio  Network  and  its 
affiliated  stations  bring  you  at  this  hour 
another  presentation  from  Temple 
Square  in  Salt  Lake  City,  with  Richard 
P.  Condie  conducting  the  Tabernacle 
Choir,  Alexander  Schreiner,  Tabernacle 
Organist,  and  the  spoken  word  by 
Richard  Evans. 

With  the  words  and  music  of  Don 
Gillis,  the  Choir  first  sings  a  "Hymn  and 
Prayer  for  Peace."  "Dear  God  in 
Heaven  hear  our  prayer  .  .  .  Let  our 
hearts  have  hate  no  more.  Grant  Lord 
that  fear  and  war  shall  ever  cease.  We 
pray,  gracious  Father,  Let  there  be 
peace." 

(The  Choir  sang:  "Hymn  And  Prayer 
For  Peace."— Gillis.) 

Announcer:  Alexander  Schreiner  turns 
today  on  Temple  Square  to  a  theme 
from  the  moving  music  of  Alexandre 
Guilmant:  "Allegro,  From  the  Fourth 
Sonata." 

(Organ  Selection:  "Allegro  From 
Fourth  Sonata." — Guilmant.) 

Announcer:  From  the  Cantata, 
"Daughter  of  Zion,"  the  Tabernacle 
Choir  turns  to  Cyril  Jenkins'  setting  for 
a  text  from  Alma  29,  and  Moroni, 
Chapter  10:  "O  that  I  were  an  angel, 
and  could  have  the  wish  of  mine  heart, 


that  I  might  go  forth  and  speak  with 
the  trump  of  God,  with  a  voice  to  shake 
the  earth,  and  cry  repentance  unto 
every  people.  Yea  I  would  declare  unto 
every  soul  .  .  .  the  plan  of  redemption, 
that  there  might  not  be  more  sorrow 
upon  all  the  face  of  the  earth." 

(The  Choir  sang:  "Awake  and  Arise." 
— Jenkins.) 

Announcer:  How  to  live  with  un- 
certainty is  an  ever-present  problem — 
uncertainties  which  suddenly  shift  plans 
and  prospects.  Young  men,  for  example, 
are  sometimes  suddenly  taken  away 
from  pursuing  life's  preparation,  and 
older  men  are  taken  from  families  and 
professions,  with  much  adjusting  of 
their  lives  to  altered  plans  and  purposes. 
And  this  we  would  say  to  all  who  face 
such  circumstances:  Go  ahead  with 
your  lives,  your  plans,  your  preparation, 
as  fully  as  you  can.  Don't  waste  time 
by  stopping  before  the  interruptions 
have  started.  Keep  going  forward  and 
keep  your  hearts  comforted  with  cour- 
age and  faith  in  the  future.  The  world 
will  always  need — indeed,  will  need 
much  more — the  best-prepared  people, 
and  you  cannot  afford  to  slow  down  the 
pace  of  preparation  that  is  necessary  for 
fullest  effectiveness,  aside  from  what  is 
absolutely  essential.  The  wise  keep 
learning,  keep  moving,  keep  preparing, 
and  don't  let  uncertainties  dissuade 
them  from  moving  forward.  And  even 
when  interruptions  come,  whenever 
they  come,  make  the  most  of  every  time 
and  opportunity.  Wherever  you  are, 
you  take  your  thoughts  with  you,  you 
take  yourself  with  you.  Wherever  you 
are,  you  can  read,  you  can  think,  you 
can  study,  you  can  learn.  You  can  use 
the  in-between  times  for  profitable  and 
constructive  purposes.  Cynicism  is  easy 
to  acquire  in  idleness — cynicism  and 
carelessness  and  questionable  conduct — 
and  evil  always  offers  itself.  So, 
wherever  you  go,  keep  intent  on  solid 
plans  and  purposes.  Don't  succumb  to 
uncertainty,  and  don't  feel  sorry  for 
yourselves.  No  generation  was  ever  sure 
it  wouldn't  be  delayed  or  diverted  in  its 
plans  or  progress.  Few  men's  lives  have 


CHOIR  AND  OR 

been  lived  without  difficulties  or  disap- 
pointments. Have  faith,  and  justify  the 
faith  of  others  in  you,  of  loved  ones 
and  of  others  also,  remembering,  wher- 
ever you  are,  to  be  a  gentleman,  a  man 
of  honor.  You  take  yourself  with  you, 
and  will  want  to  be  worthy  to  bring 
yourself  back,  to  be  comfortable  in  good 
and  beloved  company.  Keep  faith  with 
the  Lord  God  who  gave  you  life.  Keep 
close  to  Him  in  humble  prayerfulness, 
in  cleanliness  of  conduct,  and  your 
hearts  will  find  peace  under  all  assign- 
ments and  circumstances.  Build  for  the 
future.  Go  forward  in  faith.  Don't  let 
any  period  become  a  blank  in  your 
program  of  progress.  "Lift  up  your 
hearts.  Be  not  afraid."  Know  that  He 
is — that  He  is  mindful  of  you,  that  He 
will  not  leave  you  alone. 

(The  Choir  sang:  "Awake,  Ye  Saints 
of  God."— Stephens.) 

(Organ  Selection:  "Dearest  Jesus,  We 
Are  Here."— Ahle.) 

Announcer:  With  the  moving  music 
of  Henry  Holden  Huss,  we  hear  the 
stirring  words  of  Alfred  Tennyson  in 


AN  BROADCAST  127 

a  song  of  man's  immortality,  and  of  his 
meeting  with  his  Lord  and  Master: 
"For  tho'  from  out  our  bourne  of  time 
and  place,  the  flood  may  bear  me  far! 
I  hope  to  see  my  Pilot  face  to  face  when 
I  have  crossed  the  bar." 

(The  Choir  sang:  "Crossing  the  Bar." 
— Huss.) 

Announcer:  Again  we  leave  you  with- 
in the  shadows  of  the  everlasting  hills. 
May  peace  be  with  you  this  day — and 
always. 

This  concludes  the  sixteen  hundred 
seventy-sixth  presentation,  and  continues 
the  33rd  year  of  this  traditional  broad- 
cast from  the  Mormon  Tabernacle  on 
Temple  Square,  brought  to  you  by  CBS 
Radio  and  its  affiliated  stations,  originat- 
ing with  Radio  Station  KSL  in  Salt  Lake 
City. 

Richard  P.  Condie  conducted  the 
Tabernacle  Choir.  Alexander  Schreiner 
was  at  the  organ.  The  spoken  word  by 
Richard  Evans. 

In  another  seven  days,  at  this  same 
hour,  music  and  the  spoken  word  will 
be  heard  again  from  the  Crossroads  of 
the  West. 


Index 

Page 

Anderson,  Elder  Joseph    36 

Authorities  and  Officers  Present   1 

Authorities  and  Officers  Sustained    40 

Benson,  Elder  Ezra  Taft   69 

Brown,  President  Hugh  B   93 

Brown,  President  Hugh  B   84 

(General  Priesthood  Meeting) 

Buehner,  Bishop  Carl  W   98 

Burton,  Elder  Theodore  Moyle    120 

Changes  in  Church  Organizations   36 

Choir  and  Organ  Broadcast    126 

Christiansen,  Elder  EIRay  L   9 

Critchlow,  Elder  William  J.,  Jr   54 

Dyer,  Elder  Alvin  R   50 

Evans,  Elder  Richard  L   82 

(General  Priesthood  Meeting) 
Evans,  Elder  Richard  L   126 

(Choir  and  Organ  Broadcast) 

First  Day — Morning  Meeting   3 

First  Day — Afternoon  Meeting    17 

General  Authorities  and  Officers  Present   1 

General  Authorities,  Officers  and  Auxiliary  Officers  Sustained    40 

General  Priesthood  Meeting   „   76 

Hanks,  Elder  Marion  D   11 

Hinckley,  Elder  Gordon  B   115 

Hunter,  Elder  Howard  W   107 

Hunter,  Elder  Milton  R   Ill 

Isaacson,  Elder  Thorpe  B   62 

Ivins,  Elder  Antoine  R  _   28 

Kimball,  Elder  Spencer  W   29 

Lee,  Elder  Harold  B   77 

(General  Priesthood  Meeting) 

Longden,  Elder  John   24 

McKay,  President  David  0   5 

(Opening  Address) 

McKay,  President  David  0   89 

(General  Priesthood  Meeting) 
McKay,  President  David  0   122 

(Closing  Address) 

McKay,  President  David  0   3,  5,  9,  11,  14,  16,  17,  20,  24, 

26,  27,  29,  34,  35,  36,  39,  43,  47,  50,  53,  54,  57,  61, 
64,  68,  75,  76,  82,  84,  87,  89,  91,  92,  97,  100,  103, 
107,  109,  111,  113,  115,  116,  117,  120,  122,  125. 

Moyle,  President  Henry  D  ~   43 

Moyle,  President  Henry  D   40 

(Presentation  of  General  Authorities  and  Officers) 


130 


INDEX 


Page 


Moyle,  President  Henry  D   87 

(General  Priesthood  Meeting) 

Obituaries   _   39 

Petersen,  Elder  Mark  E   47 

Presentation  of  General  Authorities  and  Officers   40 

Priesthood  Meeting,  General   76 

Richards,  Elder  Franklin  D   117 

Richards,  Elder  LeGrand   64 

Romney,  Elder  Marion  G   57 

Second  Day — Morning  Meeting   35 

Second  Day — Afternoon  Meeting    54 

Sill,  Elder  Sterling  W   68 

Smith,  Elder  Eldred  G  _   26 

Smith,  President  Joseph  Fielding    18 

Sonne,  Elder  Alma   114 

Stapley,  Elder  Delbert  L   20 

Sustaining  of  General  Authorities,  Officers  and  Auxiliary  Officers   40 

Tabernacle  Choir  and  Organ  Broadcast   126 

Tanner,  Elder  Nathan  Eldon   103 

Taylor,  Elder  Henry  D   101 

Third  Day — Morning  Meeting   92 

Third  Day — Afternoon  Meeting   110 

Wirthlin,  Bishop  Joseph  L   14 

Young,  Elder  Seymour  Dilworth   116 


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